Velodyne Acoustics VRP-1000, VRP-1200 User Manual

TM

VRP-1000

and

TM

VRP-1200

User's Manual

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.

All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

1

☞

Congratulations!

Congratulations on your purchase of a Velodyne Rear Port (VRP)
subwoofer system. This system represents the state-of-the-art in
home audio reproduction and will provide you with years of listening
pleasure when properly cared for. Read and f ollow this instruction
manual to insure safe and proper system connection and operation.

Caution!

Please observe the following instructions to insure safe and proper sys­tem operation.

Note: Do not leave unit in direct sunlight or use in high humidity
envir onments!!!

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 V elodyne dealer .

Prior to Installation:

Please unpack the system carefully . This unit is hea vy . Use caution
when lifting or moving to avoid injury. 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. P ac king this unit
in any other carton may result in severe damage when shipping.
Record the serial number in the space provided on page 13 for future
reference.

Product Features

A single driver consisting of either:

•

- 10" (8.2" piston diameter) subwoofer with 2.0" high-temp voice
coil and 40 ounce motor structure or,

- 12" (9.8" piston diameter) subwoofer with 2.0" high-temp voice
coil and 40 ounce motor structure

• Adjustable (50 to 200 Hz) low-pass crossover with a 12 dB/octave
slope

• Line-level (RCA) inputs

• Speaker-level inputs and outputs with spring loaded terminals

continued. . .

2

☞

• Signal sensing auto turn on/off

• V ariable volume control

• Selectable phase control (0° or 180° )

• Frequency response of 36 - 120 Hz (+/-3 dB)

• Green power on/ Red power standby mode indicator LED

Prepare for Installation

Your new Velodyne subwoofer 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 to prevent possible damage.

Placement

T rue subwoof ers operate at e xtremely low frequencies that are pri­marily omni-directional. K eep in mind that frequency response and
output level can be drastically influenced by placement, depending
on the acoustic properties of the listening room. Typically , the opti­mum location for a subwoofer is tucked away in a corner of your
listening room. This location will usually offer the greatest output
levels and optimum lo w frequency extension. The worst location for
a subwoofer is typically far away from any walls, and close to the
center of your room. Avoid these locations when possible. When
using a pair of Velodyne subwoofers in stereo, it is preferable to
place each subwoofer by the satellite of the same channel.

Caution! This subwoofer has electr onics built into the cabinet.
Do not place the cabinet next to sources of heat such as fur­nace registers, radiators, etc., or near sources of excessive
moisture, such as evaporative coolers, humidifiers, etc. The
power 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.

Regardless of where you install your Velodyne subwoofer, it must
remain in an upright position (woofer facing forward). Using, shipping,
or otherwise storing the subwoofer in any other position for an
extended period of time may result in damage to the unit not covered
by warranty .

Your VRP subwoofer is magnetically shielded to reduce the amount
of stray magnetic energy emitted from the speak er’s motor structure.
This greatly increases flexibility when placing the unit close to video

3

☞

monitors, as there is very little stray magnetism. Certain types of
televisions are particularly sensitive to stray magnetic fields. If
your television produces distorted colors after installing your
subwoofer, simply increase the distance between your television
and the subwoofer until normal color and operation is returned.

Y our ne w V elodyne subwoofer , like any good speaker system, requires
proper positioning within the listening space to provide maximum
performance. Improperly placed speakers may degrade the sound
quality and reduce your listening pleasure. Depending on the size
and type of furnishings in the room, perfect placement may not be
possible. Finding the best location for your environment will likely
require some experimentation. W e suggest you experiment with the
location during setup to find what sounds best to you when seated
in your typical listening position.

Installation

Inputs

Your new subwoofer is equipped with speaker-level and line-level
inputs. Use the LINE LEVEL jacks when connecting your subwoofer
to a pre-amp, signal processor (such as LFE out), line-le vel crossover ,
or receiver with pre-amp lev el outputs. The SPEAKER LEVEL jac ks
connect directly to the speaker outputs of any amplifier , integ rated
amplifier, or receiv er. Your amplifier section will notice no additional
loading effects when you use these inputs due to their very high
impedance.

Note: You do not need to connect both the left and right LINE LEVEL
inputs from a single source (such as the LFE out on your receiver/
processor). These inputs are summed together and simply
connecting one will provide the same amount of signal to the sub as
if you had used a “Y” connector and connected both. If using the
SPEAKER LEVEL inputs, you DO want to connect both channels,
since different bass information might be present in each channel
going to your main speakers.

Important!!!
Do not use both LINE LEVEL and SPEAKER LEVEL connections
simultaneously!

continued. . .

4

☞

Caution!!! T o av oid 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 all connections are tight, and
that there are no loose strands or frayed wires.

Volume Control

This control allows you to balance the output from the subwoofer to
the main speakers/amplifier in your system. This control should be
set to achieve similar output levels from both the main speakers
and subwoofer when listening to music. A good starting point for
the volume control is 2 or 3 graduations from minimum.

Low-pass Crossover - 50 to 200 Hz

As noted above, all inputs sum the left and right channels together ,
with the resulting signal passing through an adjustable low-pass
crossover bef ore being amplified. The crossover control allo ws you
to adjust the upper limit of the subwoofer’ s frequency response from
50 to 200 Hz. The subwoof er’s response will begin rolling off abo ve
the frequency you set this control to. 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.

Phase Adjustment - 0°/180°

This control allows you to “reverse” the phase of the subwoofer’s
output signal 180° to correct for any possible mismatch and resulting
cancellation between the subwoofer and y our main speakers/amplifier.
To adjust, simply listen to the system with music playing, then
depress the phase switch from one position to the other and listen
for a change in low frequency output. The correct position will have
a greater amount of apparent low frequency output.

Auto Turn on Function

The subwoofer will turn itself on automatically when an audio signal
is present. If no signal is present for approximately 8 minutes, the
unit will switch to standby mode (Red LED). While in standby mode,
your subwoofer will dra w very minimal power .

5

☞

RED : STANDBY

GREEN : ON

SPEAKER LEVEL

1
2
3

+ R -

INPUT

OUTPUT

+ R -

- L +

INPUT

R

L

- L +

4 ~ 8 Ohm

VRP Series

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE
OR ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT EXPOSE

SERIAL #

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, INC.
MORGAN HILL, CA.

Figure 1. VRP Rear P anel Connections

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

LOW-PASS
CROSSOVER

50Hz
SUBWOOFER

VOLUME

MIN MAX

LFE IN

80 Hz

200Hz

PHASE

L

I

S

T

C

LISTEDLISTED

(AUDIO APPARATUS)
68BM E203436

100Watt

120V~
60Hz

2A

4
5

0

0

0

180

6
7

R

D

E

US

US

Rear Panel Connections

Figure 1 shows the connections on the rear panel of the VRP.
Following are brief descriptions of the connections described in
Figure 1. More detail of these connections can be found below:

(1 ) SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT terminals

Connect these input terminals to the speaker output terminals
of your amplifier or receiver .

(2 ) SPEAKER LEVEL OUTPUT terminals

The speaker-level signal to the front speakers is output from
these terminals.

(3 ) LINE INPUT jacks

Connect these jacks to the LINE OUT jacks of the amplifier.

6

continued. . .

☞

(4) LOW -P ASS CROSSO VER

Use this knob to select the high-frequency range at which you
wish to cut-off the signal to the subwoofer .

(5 ) Power indicator

Red: Unit is in standby mode.
Green: Unit is in operation mode.

(automatically turns to ST ANDBY mode if no signal
for 8 min.)

(6 ) PHASE switch

Select the switch position at which you hear a louder bass sound.

(7 ) VOLUME LEVEL knob

Use this knob to adjust the output level of the subwoofer.

Crossovers

Speaker-level Connections

When installed in this fashion the satellite speakers will be crossed
over at 80 Hz. This removes the lower bass from your amplifier and
speakers, enabling them to do a better job reproducing high frequencies.
By utilizing this method you will have a bi-amplified system, gaining
improved power and headroom for your system.

Receiver/Processor Subwoofer Outputs

The V elodyne subw oofer is designed to operate using the full range
audio signal for input when using the built-in crossov er. Many home
theater processors/receivers (Dolby Digital
“subwoofer out” jack (sometimes labeled “LFE”) that is internally
filtered, settable at the receiver/processor , and designed to be used
with a powered subwoof er. In some installations, it may be beneficial
to use BOTH the Velodyne crossover and the receiver/processor
crossover , resulting in a steeper ultimate crossover slope . In some
rare cases, combining both an external crossover and the one internal
to the subwoofer may result in low output and increased noise. In
these installations you may need to bypass the crossover in either
the processor or your VRP subwoofer, or simply setting one crossov er
to a higher frequency (such as 120 Hz) will restore maximum
performance.

(Refer to Figure 2a Line-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram and
Figure 2b Speaker-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram, page 8
and 9 for connection diagrams.)

7

®

, DTS®, THX®) have a

☞

REAR

FRONT

INPUT

OUTPUT

+ R - - L +

SPEAKER LEVEL

+ R -

+ R -

4 ~ 8 Ohm

- L +

- L +

VRP Series

SUBWOOFER
OUTPUT JACK

RED : STANDBY
GREEN : ON

INPUT

R

L

LFE IN

AMPLIFIER

LOW-PASS
CROSSOVER

80 Hz

50Hz

200Hz

SUBWOOFER
VOLUME

MIN MAX

(AUDIO APPARA TUS)
68BM E203436

C

PHASE

L

I

E

S

T

LISTEDLISTED

0

0

0

180

R

D

US

US

SERIAL # LABEL

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, INC.
MORGAN HILL, CA.

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

100Watt
120V - 60Hz

2A

SUBWOOFER REAR PANEL

Figure 2a. Line-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram

8

continued. . .

☞

+ R - - L +

REAR

FRONT

SPEAKER LEVEL

+ R -

INPUT

OUTPUT

+ R -

VRP Series

4 ~ 8 Ohm

- L +

- L +

SUBWOOFER
OUTPUT JACK

RED : STANDBY
GREEN : ON

INPUT

R

L

LFE IN

AMPLIFIER

LOW-PASS
CROSSOVER

80 Hz

50Hz

200Hz

SUBWOOFER
VOLUME

MIN MAX

(AUDIO APPARATUS)
68BM E203436

C

PHASE

L

I

S

T

LISTEDLISTED

0

0

0

180

R

D

E

US

US

100Watt
120V ~ 60Hz

2A

SERIAL #

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, INC.
MORGAN HILL, CA.

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

SUBWOOFER REAR PANEL

+ -

RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER

LEFT FRONT SPEAKER

- +

Figure 2b. Speaker-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram

9

☞

Interconnect Cables

When installing your new Velodyne subwoofer using the line level
connections, you should always use shielded phono cables. There
are many high quality cables available today. It is recommended that
you keep the length of cable as short as possible to avoid any
potential noise problems.

When using speaker level connections, use a high quality speaker
cable that mates well with the connectors. Be very careful to avoid
any loose strands or frayed wires that may result in a short, which
may damage your equipment. 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.

Care of Your Subwoofer

Your V elodyne subwoofer does not require an y regular maintenance.
Normal dusting or cleaning of the surface for appearance purposes
is all that is required. We suggest you a void any harsh detergents or
chemicals when cleaning the cabinet. Abrasives, detergents, or
cleaning solutions may damage the finish on the cabinet. We
recommend using only a damp cloth to clean the cabinet.

During normal conditions, your new subwoofer may be left on
continuously without any problems. The unit is equipped with a
signal-sensing turn on/off that will automatically turn on the unit
when a signal is present at the inputs and turn off the unit after
several minutes when there is no longer any signal at the inputs.

Protection Circuitry

Your new subwoofer is equipped with circuitry to provide maximum
performance with greatest reliability .

The unit is protected against:

1) Overheating the amplifier.

2) Excessive drop in power line voltage.

10

If either of the above should happen, you should reduce the volume
setting or shut the unit off until normal operating conditions return.
You may also want to plug the unit into a different wall outlet, as
dropping power line voltage will be most noticeable under strenuous
conditions and may result in the unit shutting down intermittently.

Troubleshooting and Service

If you should experience a problem with the operation of your
subwoofer, please check all of the following before seeking service.
Following is a simple troubleshooting guide to assist you.

1. V erify that the unit is plugged in, the power outlet is active , and
is supplying proper voltage.

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

3. Have all controls on subwoof er (volume, crossov er, phase, etc.)
been properly set?

4. If unit has been running at high levels for an extended period of
time, one of the protection circuits may be engaged.

• Is the built-in amplifier extremely hot to the touch?

• Is your power line voltage sagging, such as when there are

other devices on the same circuit drawing lots of power?

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 should
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!

11

SPECIFICATIONS

Cabinet Design Bass-reflex with Bass-reflex with

built-in power amplifier built-in power amplifier

Frequency response 35 Hz - 140 Hz 29 Hz - 140 Hz

(+/-3 dB) (+/-3 dB)

Crossover frequency 50 - 200 Hz 50 - 200 Hz

(variable) (variable)

Max. output power 165 watts Dynamic/ 195 watts Dynamic/

115 watts RMS P ower 130 watts RMS Power
Phase 0° or 180°
Input impedance 1.2K ohm

Sensitivity

Speaker-Level 1.6V 1.6V
Line 230 mV 230 mV

VRP-1000 VRP-1200

(for SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT terminals)
65K ohm
(for LINE INPUT jacks)

Speaker 10" 12 ”

(8.2" piston diameter) (9.8” piston diameter)
Po wer Supply 120V, 60 Hz AC
Po wer consumption 75 watts
Cabinet (H,W ,D) 15” x 12" x 16.75" 16.5” x 14.5” x 19.75”

(cm) 37.5 x 30 x 41.88 41.25 x 36.25 x 49.38
Weight (approx.) 35 lbs. (16 Kg) 60 lbs. (27 Kg)

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

12

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.velod yne.com

VELODYNE ACOUSTICS, Inc. (“VELODYNE”) warrants all powered subwoofers for a period of

LIMITED WARRANTY

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 warranty 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 nontransf erab le under an y condition.

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 abov e.
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.

Other Velodyne Subwoofer Products:

TO OBTAIN SERVICE

Digital Drive 1812 Signature Edition

Digital Drive Series

TM

TM

TM

DD-10
DD-12
DD-15
DD-18

TM

SPL Series II

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

TM

DLS Series

DLS-3500
DLS-3750
DLS-4000

HGS-X Series

TM

HGS-10X

HGS-12X
HGS-15X

Deco System

Deco System

Deco Satellites

DPS Series

DPS-10
DPS-12

TM

VX-10

TM

TM

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

-John Potis
SoundStage!, April 2002

Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

345 Digital Drive

Morgan Hill, CA 95037

408.465.2800 voice

408.779.9227 fax

408.779.9208 service fax
www.velodyne.com

Service e-mail: [e-mail]

Product e-mail: [e-mail]

Technical e-mail: [e-mail]

63-VRP1012 Rev A 28FEB04

Printed on recycled paper.