Velodyne Acoustics CHT-8R, CHT-10R, CHT-12R User Manual

TM

CHT-8R

TM

CHT-10R

TM

CHT-12R

and

TM

CHT-15R

User's Manual

DSP-Controlled Home Theater Subwoofer

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

Caution

To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer
servicing to qualified service personnel.

The lighting flash with arrowhead symbol is intended to alert the user to 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 symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the subwoofer.

1. Read Instructions -- All safety and operating instructions should be read before the subwoofer is operated.

2. Retain Instructions -- The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings -- All warnings on the subwoofer and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions -- All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5. Water and Moisture -- The subwoofer should not be used near water -- for example, near a bathtub,
washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool or the like.

6. Carts and Stands -- The subwoofer should be used only with a cart or stand recommended by the
manufacturer.

7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting -- The subwoofer should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended
by the manufacturer.

8. Ventilation -- The subwoofer should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its
proper ventilation. For example, the subwoofer should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface
that may block the ventilation openings; or placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet
that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings.

9. Heat -- The subwoofer should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves,
or other subwoofers that produce heat.

10. Power Sources -- The subwoofer should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in
the operating instructions or as marked on the subwoofer.

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 at which they exit from the subwoofer.

12. "Caution: To prevent electrical shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, fully inserted." "Attention:
Pour eviter les chocs electriques, introduire lame la plus large de la fiche dans la borne correspondante
de la prise et pousser jusqu' au fond".

13. Cleaning -- The subwoofer should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.

14. Nonuse Periods -- The power cord of the subwoofer should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused
for a long period of time.

15. Object and Liquid Entry -- Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled onto
the enclosure.

16. Damage Requiring Service -- The subwoofer should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
a . The power-supply cord or plug has been damaged.
b. Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the subwoofer.
c. The subwoofer has been exposed to rain.
d. The subwoofer does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
e. The subwoofer has been dropped or damaged.

17. Servicing -- The user should not attempt to service the subwoofer beyond what is described in the operating
instructions.

18. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing water and that no objects filled with liquids,
such as vases be placed on the apparatus.

19. The disconnect device (the appliance inlet) shall remain readily operable (easily assessible).

All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

1

☞

Congratulations!

Congratulations on your purchase of a V elodyne Classic Home Theater
(CHT -R) subwoof er. This system represents the state-of-the-art in low
frequency reproduction. Read and follow the instructions below to in­sure safe and proper system operation.

Warning!

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this equipment to
rain or moisture. To avoid electrical shock, do not open speaker
enclosure or amp chassis cover. Please observe all warnings on
the equipment itself. There are no user serviceable parts inside.
Please refer all service questions to your authorized Velodyne dealer.

Prior to Installation

Please unpack the system carefully. Remove all staples used to seal
the carton as they can scratch the cabinet. Please save the carton
and all packaging materials for future use. Record the serial number
in the space provided on the warranty card for future reference.

Product Features and Controls

• DSP-controlled

• 4 selectable presets for customized listening mode

• Night-mode setting

• Mute control

• Built-in 160 watt (RMS) power amplifier (CHT-8R)

• Built-in 175 watt (RMS) power amplifier (CHT-10R)

• Built-in 200 watt (RMS) power amplifier (CHT-12R)

• Built-in 600 watt (RMS) power amplifier (CHT-15R)

• Adjustable (40 to 120 Hz) low-pass crossover with Subwoofer

Direct setting

• Speaker-level inputs and outputs

• 85 Hz high-pass crossover

• Line-level inputs

• Signal sensing auto turn on/off with bypass option

• Variab le volume control

• Selectable phase control (0, 90, 180, or 270 degrees)

• Dual staggered low-pass crossover; 12 dB/octave initial, 24

dB/octave ultimate

continued. . .

2

☞

• Anti-clipping circuit

• Over excursion protection

• Slot loaded design

Installation

Your new subwoofer system provides for a number of installation
options. Read all the installation information below in order to
determine which installation option is best for your system.
Remember to perform all installation procedures with system power
turned off.

80 Hz

LOW-PASS
CROSSOVER

1
2

3
4

5

6

7

8

DIRECT

VOLUME

AUTO ON/OFF

OUTPUT

INPUT

HIGH-PASS
CROSSOVER

SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT

SPEAKER LEVEL OUTPUT

40 Hz

UP

DOWN

ACTIVE

INACTIVE

R

L

LFE IN

100 Hz

80 Hz

LEFTRIGHT

CHT-R Series

SERIAL #

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, INC.

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE
OR ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT EXPOSE
THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-NE PAS OUVRIR

AVIS:

DOUBLE INSULATION - WHEN SERVICING USE ONLY IDENTICAL REPLACEMENT PARTS

POWER

ON

OFF

230V~

50Hz

F 1A L

Figure 1. CHT-R Rear Panel Connections

3

☞

Rear Panel Connections

Figure 1 shows the connections on the rear panel of the CHT-R.
Following are brief descriptions of the connections described in Figure

1. More detail on these connections can be found on the next page.

(1) LOW -P ASS CROSSOVER

Use this knob to select the high-frequency range at which you
wish to cut off the signal to the subwoofer. When the knob is
turned all the way to the left, the Subwoofer Direct feature is
invoked and the subwoofer plays all frequencies up to 200 Hz.

(2 ) VOLUME Control

This control allows you to balance the output from the subwoofer
to the main speakers in your system. This control should be set
to achieve similar volume level from between both the main
speakers and subwoofer. When pressing volume up or down, the
speed at which the power light blinks indicates subwoofer volume

- the faster the blinking, the louder the unit plays.
Note: Volume is also controllable by using the supplied remote.

(3 ) AUTO ON/OFF Switch

Use this switch to select between auto-on (active) and constant
on (inactive) operation.

(4 ) LINE OUTPUT

Connect these jacks to the LINE IN preamp input to use the CHT-R’s
internal high pass crossover. See below for a more detailed explanation
of this crossover.

(5 ) LINE INPUT/LFE Input

Connect these jacks to the LINE OUT preamp output, LFE
output, or subwoofer output jacks of your receiver/processor. If
using the LFE output from your receiver or processor, plug the
single cable into the “L” – LFE input or, for more signal, use a “Y”
connector and feed the signal into both “R” and “L” inputs.

4

continued. . .

☞

(6 ) HIGH PASS CR OSSOVER Switch

This switch selects the frequency for the high pass crossover.
This crossover is functional on both line and speaker-level
outputs. Smaller speakers with limited low frequency output may
perform better using the higher 100 Hz setting that will reduce the
low frequencies sent to them. Larger speakers with greater low
frequency output may be able to handle the 80 Hz setting without
strain.

(7 ) SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT T erminals

Connect these input terminals to the speaker output terminals
of your amplifier or receiver. If you use this method of
connection, when you go to the receiver speaker set up menu,
make sure you select the large speaker option.

(8 ) SPEAKER LEVEL OUTPUT T erminals

Sends a crossed-over speaker-level signal to the front speakers.
See below for a more detailed e xplanation of this crossov er .

Rear Panel Connections – Detailed Explanation

Your new subwoofer is equipped with both speaker-level and line­level inputs. Use the RCA/Phono type “INPUT” jacks when connect­ing your subwoofer to a pre-amp, signal processor, or line-level
crossover. The “SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT” jacks connect directly
to the speaker outputs of an integrated amplifier or receiver. Your
amplifier section will notice no additional loading effects when you
use these inputs because of their high impedance.

Note:

Do not use both the RCA/Phono “INPUT” connections and “SPEAKER
LEVEL INPUT” connections simultaneously.

Low-Pass Crossover

Both sets of inputs sum the left and right channels together and the
resulting signal is passed through an adjustable low-pass crossover
before being amplified. The crossover control allows you to adjust
the upper limit of the subwoofer’s frequency response from 40 to
120 Hz. The subwoofer’s response will begin rolling off abov e the
frequency you set this control to.

5

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You should set the crossover frequency to obtain a smooth and
seamless transition from the subwoofer to the main speakers in your
system. If your main speakers are smaller units with limited low
frequency output, you may wish to choose a higher frequency (such
as 100-120 Hz) than you would with larger speakers which have
greater low frequency output. With larger speakers, you might start
with this control set lower, such as 80 Hz.

Subwoofer Direct

Subwoofer Direct is a setting on the low-pass crossover knob and
will allow frequencies up to 200 Hz into the subwoofer. See below
for a more detailed explanation of this feature.

Speaker Level Output/Line Level Output

When connected in this fashion, your satellite speakers will be
crossed over at 80 Hz. This removes the lower bass from your
satellites, enabling them to do a better job reproducing high
frequencies and giving your receiver’s amp more headroom (up to
50% more power).

You may also connect your satellites directly to your receiver or
amplifier along with the subwoofer if you wish to bypass this
crossover.

Caution!!!

T o a void damage to your main amplifier , be sure to maintain correct
polarity when making all connections. Red (positive) to red, and
black (negative) to black. Be sure that all connections are tight, and
that there are no loose strands or frayed wires.

Power Switch

The master power switch is located on the lower right half of the unit.
This rocker style switch is the main on/off for the unit. This switch
should be set to position 1 for on (up), 0 for off (down).

A Word About Your Receiver’s Crossover and the CHT-R
Crossover

Y our V elodyne CHT-R subwoofer is designed to oper ate using the full
range audio signal for input when using the built-in crossover (controlled
by the dial on the back panel). Many home theater processors/receivers
(Dolby Digital

®

, DTS®, THX®) have a “subwoofer out” jack that performs

continued. . .

6

☞

this same function and are designed to be used with a powered
subwoofer.

In these installations, you may want to bypass the crossover in
either the processor or the Velodyne subwoofer. In some cases,
you may want to use BOTH crossovers. To do this, you can use
both your processor’s crossover and the one internal to the V elodyne
sub. You should stagger the frequencies (i.e., 120 Hz subwoof er, 80
Hz processor) for best results.

T o b ypass the subwoofer’s internal crossover when the unit is being
fed a low pass signal from another crossover, simply locate the
knob marked “LOW-PASS CR OSSOVER” on the rear panel of the
subwoofer and turn it counterclockwise to the “DIRECT” position.
This will eliminate the internal crossover from the signal path.

Note:

If not using an external crossover, you should use the built-in
crossover for optimal perf ormance. When using a single RCA sub
out from the processor, it does not matter which line le vel input (L/R)
is used.

Interconnect Cables

When installing your new Velodyne subwoofer using the line-level
connections, you should alwa ys use shielded phono cables. There
are many decent cables available today, most any of which will
work perfectly well. W e do recommend that you k eep the length of
cable as short as possible to avoid any potential noise prob lems .

When using speaker level connections, use a quality speaker cable
that mates well with the connectors (at least 14-gauge). Be very
careful to avoid any loose or frayed strands that could result in a
short, causing a dangerous condition and possible damage to your
unit. Cables of extremely large size are typically not required. Ex­tremely large gauge wire may not properly fit in the binding posts,
resulting in a poor connection and possible short circuits.

Placement

True subwoofers operate at extremely low frequencies, which are
primarily omni-directional. While it is recommended that the
subwoofers be placed on the same plane as the satellite speakers,

7

☞

room and system conditions often dictate otherwise. Keep in mind
that frequency response and output level can be drastically influenced
by placement, depending on the acoustic properties of your listening
room. Typically, the optimum location for a subwoofer is in a front
corner of your listening room. This location will usually offer the
greatest output levels and optim um lo w frequency extension. The
worst location for a subwoofer is typically far away from any walls,
close to the center of your room and near an opening or door way.
Av oid these locations when possible. When using a pair of V elodyne
subwoofers in stereo , it is pref erable to place each subwoof er near
the satellite of the same channel. Typically, a minimum distance of
1 to 2 feet from your TV to the subw oofer will be adequate to a v oid
any magnetic interference.

Caution!

This subwoofer has electronics built into the cabinet. Do not place
the cabinet next to sources of heat such as furnace registers,
radiators, etc. Do not place the unit near sources of excessive
moisture, such as ev aporative coolers, humidifiers , etc. The po wer
cord should be routed in such a way that it will not be walked on,
pinched, or compressed in any way that could result in damaging
the insulation or wire.

continued. . .

8

☞

Usage

This section addresses day-to-day usage of y our CHT-R subwoofer .

Remote Control

Figure 2 shows the remote control, enabling you to easily choose
whatever listening mode you desire.

Figure 2. Remote Display

POWER - This button forces your CHT-R unit into standby mode. The

woofer will not play and the LED will turn off. The unit will remain in this
mode until the POWER button is pressed again. To fully deactivate (i.e.
power down) the unit, turn off the power switch on the back panel.

MUTE - This button mutes the subwoofer. The light on the subwoofer
will blink slowly if the unit is muted. To unmute the subwoofer, press
the MUTE button again.

9

☞

PHASE - These buttons allow you to optimize the subwoofer
performance for the location and your listening position. Select the
switch position at which you hear the most bass. The light will blink
according to the following schedule:

0 degrees 1 blink
90 degrees 2 blinks
180 degrees 3 blinks
270 degrees 4 blinks

LIGHT - If you wish, you can deactivate the power light on your CHT-R
unit. To do this, press the LIGHT button on your remote. The light will
turn off. To reactivate the light, press the LIGHT button again.

NIGHT

later night listening or to be more considerate of close neighbors.
Press the night button to turn the night mode feature on or off. Night
mode, when active, is indicated by the reduced intensity of the light.

VOLUME CONTROL

from the subwoofer to the main speakers in your system. This control
should be set to achieve similar volume level from between both the

main speakers and subwoofer. When pressing volume up or down,
the speed at which the power light blinks indicates subwoofer volume

- the faster the blinking, the louder the unit plays.
Note: The volume can also be adjusted via the b uttons on the back

panel of the subwoofer. These buttons have the same effect as
pressing the up and down volume buttons on your remote.

PRESETS - There are 4 presets, consisting of Movies, R&B – Rock,

Jazz – Classical, and Games. As a preset is chosen, the light flashes
the corresponding number of times. The presets provide the following
characteristics for bass reproduction:

- Night mode limits the maximum output of the subwoofer for

- This control allows you to balance the output

Movies: Maximum output and impact for explosions

and other action adventure movie content.

R&B – Rock: Provides the driving bass found in toda y’s

rock music.

10

Jazz – Classical: The tightest, cleanest, lowest distortion

bass.

Games: Maximum loudness available for the im-

pact of video games.

The following table indicates musical style and which preset is
recommended for it.

MUSICAL STYLE SUGGEST ED PRESET

Action Adventure Movies Movies
Country – Rock R&B – Rock
Country – Soft Jazz – Classical
Folk Jazz – Classical
Indie Music R&B – Rock
Pop R&B – Rock
Rock R&B – Rock
Alternative Rock Jazz – Classical
Blues Jazz – Classical
Broadway and V ocalists Jazz – Classical
Children’s Music Jazz – Classical
Christian and Gospel Jazz – Classical
Classic Rock R&B – Rock
Classical Jazz – Classical
Dance and DJ R&B – Rock
Hard Rock and Metal R&B – Rock
Latin Music R&B – Rock
Miscellaneous Jazz – Classical
Movies – Non-Action Adventure Jazz – Classical
New Age Jazz – Classical
Opera and Vocal Jazz – Classical
R&B R&B – Rock
Rap and Hip-Hop R&B – Rock
Soundtracks R&B – Rock or Jazz –

Classical

Video Games Games

11

Each preset has its own characteristics with respect to subsonic
filter, volume differential, and a single equalizer (EQ) in order to
optimize the listening mode for the preset.

The following table shows the settings for various presets:

Subsonic

Filter EQ EQ Volume

Preset Frequency Frequency Level Differential

Movies 24 Hz 37 Hz +4 dB +8 dB

R&B – Rock 27 Hz 52 Hz +3 dB +5 dB

Jazz – Classical 24 Hz N/A N/A N/A

(Reference)

Game s 34 Hz 62 +4 dB +4 dB

RESTORE DEFAUL TS – This feature allows you to restore default
settings for your CHT-R Subw oofer. By pressing Presets in EXACTLY
the following order on the remote, the unit’s power light will blink
three times indicating that you have restored defaults.

1. Movies

2. R&B – Rock

3. Jazz – Classical

4. Games

5. Games

6. Jazz – Classical

7. R&B – Rock

8. Movies

When you press the presets in the above order , the po wer light will
blink three times indicating that you have restored defaults. The
default preset is Jazz/Classical, and the unit’s volume is reset to
level 35 (out of 100).

Care of Your Subwoofer

Do not use any harsh detergents or chemicals to clean the cabinet.
Abrasives, detergents, or cleaning solutions will damage the finish
on the cabinet. We recommend using a damp cloth to clean the
front, back and sides. Use a soft cloth with a good quality furniture
polish to clean the hand-rubbed, black lacquer , painted top.

12

During normal conditions, the subwoofer may be left on continuously
without any problems. If you plan to leave the unit unused for an
extended period of time, we recommend that you turn off the unit by
the master power switch on the rear panel.

Troubleshooting and Service

Before seeking service for your subwoofer, please re-check all
systems. Following is a simple troubleshooting guide to assist you.

1. V erify that the unit is plugged in and power outlet used is active.

2. Is the power switch on?

3. Is unit receiving an input signal from your source?

4. Have all controls on subwoof er (volume, crosso ver, phase , etc.)
been properly set?

5. If unit has been running at high levels, one of the protection
circuits may be engaged.

6. Has the built-in amplifier overheated?

If the protection circuitry is active, the unit may cycle on and off
until operating parameters return to normal. Under more serious
conditions, the unit may shut off completely. Normal operation will
return upon cooling, but you may be required to turn the power off
and then on again to reset the unit.

The following conditions require service by a qualified technician:

1. The power cord has become damaged.

2. The unit does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked
change in performance.

3. The unit has been exposed to water .

4. Some part of the cabinet or circuitry is physically damaged.

Thank You for Purchasing a Velodyne!

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160 watts RMS power 175 watts RMS power 200 watts RMS power 600 watts RMS power

SPECIFICATIONS CHT-8R CHT-10R CHT-12R CHT-15R

Cabinet (H,W,D) 15" x 12" x 15.75" 16" x 15" x 17.75" 18" x 15" x 19" 21” x 18.4” x 20.75”

(cm) 37.5 x 30 x 39 40 x 37.5 x 44 45 x 37.5 x 47.5 52.5 x 46 x 52

Frequency Response 35Hz-140 Hz (+/-3 dB) 28Hz-120 Hz (+/-3 dB) 25Hz-120 Hz (+/- 3 dB) 23 Hz-120 Hz (+/-3 dB)

High Pass Crossover 80 Hz or 100 Hz (6 dB/octave slope)

Low Pass Crossover 40 Hz -120 Hz (12 dB/octave, 24 dB ultimate)

Amplifier (Class A/B) 350 watts Dynamic/ 375 watts Dynamic/ 400 watts Dynamic/ 1200 watts Dynamic/

Woofer 8" forward firing 10" forward firing 12" forward firing 15” forward firing

Magnet 40 oz . 40 oz . 55 oz . 7 0 oz .

V oice Coil 2" two-layer copper 2" four-layer copper 2" four-layer copper 2.5" four-layer copper

Inputs Line-level and speaker-level

Outputs Line-level and speaker-level

Warranty Two years (parts and labor)

Weight (approx.) 44 lbs. (20 kg) 53 lbs. (24 kg) 60 lbs. (27 kg) 83 lbs. (38 kg)

14

FOR YOUR RECORDS. . .

Date Puchased___________________________________
Dealer__________________________________________
Serial #_________________________________________

*NOTE: Please complete and return your warranty card within ten (10) days or

Register. . . ON LINE . . . It's faster . . . and easier

www.velodyne.com

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, Inc. (“VELODYNE”) warrants all powered subwoofers for a period of
two years, and full range speakers for a period of five years. All VELODYNE products have a
warranty from the date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship subject to the
following conditions:

1. VELODYNE is not responsible for defects which result from the use of an amplifier or
controller other than the one originally supplied with the unit (subwoofer) or defects which
result from modifications or repairs made by any component of the system by anyone
other than a VELODYNE factory authorized service representative.

2. This wa rranty is void if any repairs or service covered by the terms of this warranty are
made to any component of the system by anyone other than a VELOD YNE f actory autho­rized service representative.

3. VELODYNE is not responsible for damage caused by accidents, abuse, misuse, natural
or personal disaster or unauthorized modification. The VELODYNE products are not in­tended for professional or commercial use and VELOD YNE is not responsible f or damage
resulting from such use.

4. The VELODYNE product warranty is limited to units that are purchased from authorized
VELODYNE dealers and finaliz ed within authorized dealer locations.

5. This warranty is nontransferable under any condition.

TO OBTAIN SERVICE

Information regarding service may be obtained from the dealer from whom you purchased the
unit, or by contacting VELODYNE customer service. W arranty service must be performed by a
VELOD YNE factory authorized service representative within the warranty period set forth above .
If VELODYNE determines the unit is defective, VELODYNE will, at VELODYNE ’s option, repair
or replace the product at no charge if the product is forwarded prepaid to a factory authorized
service representative. Products forwarded to the factory authorized service representative
should be shipped securely and properly packaged, insured, and freight prepaid.

LIMITED WARRANTY

15

Notes

16

“Not only was the little Velodyne the best small sub I’ve ev er used,
it was one of the very best subs I’ve used.”

-John Potis
SoundStage!, April 2002

Other Velod yne Subwoofer Products for Export:

Digital Drive Series

TM

DD-10

DD-12
DD-15 THX Ultra 2
DD-18 THX Ultra 2

Digital Drive 1812 Signature Edition

SPL Series II

TM

SPL-800 Series II
SPL-1000 Series II
SPL-1200 Series II

VX-10

Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

345 Digital Drive

Morgan Hill, CA 95037

408.465.2800 voice

408.779.9227 fax

408.779.9208 service fax

TM

www.velodyne.com

Service e-mail: [e-mail]

Product e-mail: [e-mail]

Technical e-mail: [e-mail]

Printed on recycled paper.

63-CHTR RevC 22JUN04