1
Operating the Lc-Series
Speaker System
Thank you for your purchase of
your Westlake Audio Lc-Series loud
speaker system. If you are reading
this, you have probably already
opened the shipping carton and
removed the speaker. At this point,
please save your purchase
documentation with all other
important records, especially the serial
numbers on the rear of the speaker
cabinets. This will be invaluable
information to have when ordering
replacement parts, insuring your
loudspeakers, and making warranty
claims. Save the box and foam pieces
if possible for use during transit of the
speakers such as moving or returning
to dealer or factory for service. If it is
not practical to retain the shipping
carton, you may order a replacement
through your dealer or directly from
Westlake Audio. Units should always
be transported in proper cartons to
prevent damage.
SETTING UP:
Position the speakers on a stable
surface, equidistant (+ or – 2mm) to the
listener location, preferably at ear level
as referenced to the acoustic center line
of the speaker. Use the rubber
isolation pad under the speaker to
keep it in position and prevent
vibration from exciting the supporting
structure. The acoustic center is
approximately mid way between the
mid/woofer and tweeter. On the 2-way
systems with stepped front boards,
referencing the tweeter front board at
the point it joins the woofer baffle at
45º is advised. If the speakers must be
located at a position other than ear
level, the speaker should be directed
towards the prime listening location
with each loudspeaker at the identical
elevation, angle of inclination and
azimuth (L & R) if at all possible. The
preferred operating position is in the
vertical or upright position with the
Westlake Audio logo in the horizontal
position. However, the speakers may
be operated on their sides with the
caveat that the off axis listening
position will experience some
reduction in output level at the
crossover frequency. Also, the logos
will be difficult to read. With the
tweeters towards the inside of the
stereo listening triangle the listener
can sit closer to the speakers. With the
tweeters to the outside, the listener can
sit further away. With no position
change of the listener, the inside
location for the tweeters will present a
compressed stereo image, the outside
location, an expanded image.
The imaging of the system will
be best with the grill frames off and
nearby objects as far away as possible.
Keep in mind that the symmetry of the
environment around the speakers can
affect the L/R balance. Positioning the
speakers where one side wall is glass
while the other is open or damped, will
be difficult (at best) to balance left to
right. The closer you are to the
speakers (within reason) the better the
imaging will be. The optional Speaker
Muffs™ can add an extra amount of
detail and enhance the imaging on
well recorded source material. The
muffs should be placed flush with the
front board, bevel side forward
towards the listener if there are no
2
nearby objects. If the speakers are
moved near other objects (T.V., on
shelf, side wall etc.) you may get better
results with the grills on and the muffs
mounted flat side towards the listening
position, flush with the tweeter front
board or grill face if used. Some
experimentation is recommended.
Some speaker muffs have integral P.E.
antennas™; connect them to the local
P.E. bus™, associated audio ground
near the power amplifier or its chassis.
Always transport the speakers with the
grill on. Consider putting them back
on after listening if there are small
children or pets present, being careful
not to move the speaker itself after
alignment. Some grills have an
internal P. E. antenna (foil pattern at
rear side). The electrical connections
are automatically made through the
mounting fasteners as they snap into
position. Be careful not to disturb the
wiring on the male attachment plugs.
Although the imaging (as mentioned
above) will probably be best with the
grill off, the P.E. antenna may improve
some aspects of the sound imaging
with the grill on, depending on system
configuration including type of
amplifier utilized.
THE ENVIRONMENT:
Choosing the best setting for
your listening can have a large
influence on the perceived
performance of the loud speakers.
Choose a quiet, acoustically well
dampened location if possible. The
noisier the scene is, the harder the
speakers have to work to overcome the
ambient noise level. Sometimes a little
planning can help. Turning off
unused equipment (either at home or
in the studio) can save money and
lower the background noise,
particularly if the noise source is
nearby the listening position. An
obvious consideration during set-up is
positioning the listener away from
noise sources such as open
doors/windows, air conditioners or
noisy audio gear. Simply choosing
your listening time, i.e., late at night
when it’s cooler and the air
conditioning doesn’t run as much or
the traffic is lighter, can be a big
bonus. Our P.E. Distortion™ research
has led us to conclude that as much as
possible there should be no ungrounded metal objects in the listening
room. The closer the object is to the
loudspeakers, the audio components or
their wiring, the more important this
is. A “P.E. audit” should be performed
for optimum results. In a related
phenomenon, the metal objects, even if
grounded to the earth or P.E. bus,
should be symmetrical to the stereo
listening geometry if possible.
LISTENING ROOM
CHARACTERISTICS:
Many different philosophies
about listening environments exist,
each having its followers, each its
benefits and limitations. The live
environment is the one most often
found at home. It is, after all, a live
almost echo-ey sound that greets us
when we are looking for a new home
or apartment or commercial space for a
studio. Although we like the sound of
ourselves singing in the shower, a little
room character goes a long way. At
Westlake Audio, we feel that a more
damped environment will wear better
in the long run, aid in keeping ambient
noise down and generally allow the
listener to savor the intimate recording
detail more easily. However, having
said this, we know that many avid
audiophiles and studio engineers alike
will take issue with this position as
reflected in their experiences with
what they consider to be over-damped
rooms. Our experience with this
scenario has taught us that upon
3
evaluation, most of the “bad” overdamped rooms are in fact only damped
at mid and high frequencies.
This tilts the power response of the
room towards the bass end of the
spectrum thus calling attention to the
under-damped low frequency room
modes (standing waves) which always
exist and almost always are
problematic in the average listening
room.
WHAT TO DO AND NOT TO DO TO
YOUR ROOM:
Don’t cover the majority of your
room surfaces with thin (1” or less)
acoustic foam or fiberglass products.
This will only succeed in rolling off
your mid and high frequencies while
having minimal effect on the
problematic low frequencies.
Selectively place and space thin
materials 2-4” off the mounting
surface. Or use thick materials, 4” (100
mm) or more if possible. Although not
fire rated, Dacron or polyester (open
cell) are available in low fiber form.
However, they will not be as effective
as fiberglass (R11 or R19) or mineral
wool (U.S.G./S.A.F.B.) products which
do meet Class 1 fire requirements.
These materials may require grill
frames or draped grill cloth, depending
on your aesthetic tastes and/or need to
isolate yourself, children, friends or
pets from it. Class 1 products such as
Illbrucks’ Willtec (melamine) material
are light weight, user friendly and self
finishing, thus can be hung from wires
attached to the ceiling. Unit cost
however is high and again, don’t be
tempted to simply use the 1” material
directly mounted on a large percentage
of wall surfaces.
Acoustic reflections are
particularly destructive to transient
response and sound imaging.
Therefore the dampening materials can
be especially effective if placed in the
path of the reflection; i.e. on floor,
ceiling or wall areas that enable the
reflection from the speaker to reach the
listening area. A console top reflection
can be problematic as well. However,
putting absorption material on top of
the recording board (at least
permanently), is not very practical. In
this case changing the relationship of
the listener’s ears to the speakers and
console top by changing chair height
or speaker position (i.e. move from
meter bridge to stands or boost the
speaker up on foam spacers, etc.) is the
recommended work up in most cases.
Enlisting the aid of a piece of mirror
placed on the suspected surface(s)
while observing the speaker(s) from
the listening position will identify the
areas in need of treatment.
MORE TIPS:
Although Westlake Audio,
Acoustics First, Auralex, ASC, RPG,
Illbruck and other companies offer
prefabricated devices for installation
in studios or home listening
environments you should be aware
that one or two pieces of any product
are unlikely to completely address the
wide range of acoustic anomalies that
exist in a typical listening
environment. To effectively attenuate
low-frequency room modes usually
requires a large amount of diffusion
and/or absorption. Large pieces of
furniture, particularly if the covering is
porous (i.e. cloth rather than plastic or
leather), can be very effective
absorption devices as can heavy velour
drapery.
A consideration in a live room is
the basic room dimensions. One with
equal (1:1:1) or even multiple (1:2:3,
1:1:25:1.5 etc) dimensions for the
length, width and ceiling height will
tend to bunch or accentuate the modes
at predetermined frequencies.
Therefore a room with dimensions that
4
are not even multiples (1:1.15:1.42, etc.)
will space the modes more evenly.
However, this technique alone is no
substitute for adequate amounts of
diffusion and absorption. In most
rooms, with enough absorption and/or
large and irregularly shaped objects,
the decay (Rt60) time or room character
can be effectively smoothed or
neutralized.
Some would advocate the use of
non parallel surfaces. However, it
should be pointed out that this
technique is not unlike the dimension
ratio technique. That is, it moves
modes around in the frequency
domain but does not decrease their
number. It is, however a much more
complex job to predict their locations.
As an element of diffusion and/or
reflection control, non parallel surfaces
along with adequate absorption can be
part of a total acoustical solution in
some applications. Be aware that as a
room is dampened, some discrete
echoes can develop if absorption
and/or diffusion is not applied in all
room axes i.e., floor/ceiling, side
wall/side wall, front/back, diagonals,
etc.
Westlake Audio offers, for a fee,
total acoustic design and consultation
for clients requiring a high degree of
acoustical performance.
THE LISTENER/SPEAKER/ROOM
INTERFACE:
We have already commented on
several aspects related to this LSR
relationship but here are some more
basics. Always place the speaker
system on a secure surface with front
board flush with adjoining vertical
surfaces. Place a thin rubber or felt
mat under the speaker to reduce
structure borne transmission. For more
bass move the speaker or listener or
both, closer to large objects or the room
boundaries (wall, floor, ceiling, etc.)
For less bass move the speakers and/or
listener towards the center of the room.
One particularly effective set up is to
place the listener near the wall at the
back of the room and position the
speakers 1/3 of the way into the room.
This places the listener at the rear wall
and thus puts the direct wave and the
rear wall reflection essentially in phase
at low frequencies. The listener is
sitting in a high pressure (low
frequency) area while the speakers are
located in an area of neutral or average
pressure. This allows the speakers to
be tuned to some degree, moving them
closer to the front wall will tilt them
towards a more bassy sound, moving
them towards room center will reduce
the bass but increase the direct field
over the room character. Moving the
speakers towards or away from the
side walls will have a similar effect
depending on how close they are in
relationship to the room size. When
the speakers are relatively close to the
listener is sometimes referred to as
near or close field monitoring, which is
often used in professional recording
studios. This type of configuration has
the advantage of presenting the direct
sound to the listener as quickly as
possible thus allowing the listener to
get an accurate assessment of the
sound field before the room field has a
chance to build up, possibly masking
details. It also allows the loudest peak
levels to be presented to the listener
while keeping the average room SPL
down. This eases the work the
speakers have to do and reduces the
neighbor interference factor.
It may also be beneficial to try
locating the listener and speakers on
the long wall of rectangular rooms.
This will put the side wall reflections
further away (in time) from the direct
signal and obviously promotes a closer
field experience. In very small rooms
however, this may preclude the afore-
5
mentioned tuning position
adjustments due to traffic flow
limitations. Besides the afore
mentioned bass build up when the
speakers are in close proximity of a
wall, there will be a frequency
response anomaly (peak and dip) in
the lower mid/upper bass area due to
reflections directed back to the listener
from the wall behind the speaker.
When moving the speakers away from
the wall is not an option, then placing
as much thick absorption material (i.e.
R19 flat on wall or better, stack widthwise floor to ceiling: 12, 18 & 24”
widths, un-backed is best, are readily
available) on or in front of the wall can
be effective in minimizing the
response error. Alternatively flushing
the speakers into the wall (while
maintaining isolation with rubber or
felt) or simply placing them on a
bookshelf with book backs flush
around them, may help minimize
response irregularities.
Most of the above information is
directed at the very attentive and
focused listener who will sit at the
proper speaker summing location and
gain benefit from all this room
tweaking. If you are a more casual
listener who is likely to move about
the room (or even listen from another
room) then room dimensions and
speaker placement may be all that you
need to think about. Of course the
most important consideration of all is
how you feel about your listening
experience. Try, by experimentation,
to take this information and enhance
your listening environment.
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
SELECTION AND INTERFACING
CONSIDERATIONS:
The most important
consideration for a speaker system is
the amplifier system that drives it.
Although the relatively easy load that
the Lc system presents to the amplifier
output terminals makes it a possible
candidate for high quality receiver
type systems, it will likely be best
served by a separate stereo or mono
power amplifier. Many high quality
brands are to be found on the market.
The amplifier should have flat
frequency response and low distortion,
or noise (including self) within the
audio bandwidth (20Hz-20kHz) and be
capable of driving the Lc system
impedance without producing audible
distortion. While ultra wide
bandwidth/high slew rate amplifiers
can have very good sound, this
specification alone is not conclusive
enough to base selection on. Choose
an amplifier that is the best sounding
within your budget and has adequate
power reserves to play the Lc system at
reasonable levels. Included in the
possibilities are both solid state and
tube type amplifiers. Generally, but
not always, a solid state amplifier will
sound tighter, possibly dryer, while a
tube amplifier will be warmer, fuller
or slightly less damped.
Amplifiers can have balanced or
unbalanced audio input circuits. In
theory the balanced circuits should
give more immunity from noise and
therefore sound better. In practice,
balanced inputs may or may not sound
better. In poorly designed units, the
additional circuitry in a balanced input
may just make the sound worse. In
well designed units the sound should
be the same and only the noise
immunity should differ. Both will
have some degree of P. E. Distortion
that can manifest itself more or less in
any given installation. P. E. Distortion
can mimic acoustic distortion and be
particularly insidious to ferret out of
the system. See separate application
notes for methods of control of this
elusive problem.
6
The amplifier should have
suitable cosmetic appeal for your tastes
and inherent mechanical integrity
including appropriate input/output
terminations for the cabling systems
you are considering. The chosen unit
should have a good power supply and
not emit extraneous noise such as hum,
buzz or fan noises that might interfere
with low level sound details in the
listening environment. If you are on a
limited budget and are setting up a
stereo music C.D. playback only
system, you may want to consider an
amplifier with front panel input level
controls. This would allow you to
forego the traditional preamplifier,
allowing for a budget reduction or
alternately focusing your buying
power in a better power amplifier
itself. Some C.D. players have internal
remote level control which might
(depending on range of control in the
C.D. unit and amplifier sensitivity)
allow you to select an amplifier
without input level controls. You
should however be aware that level
control within the C.D may deteriorate
the sound advantage that eliminating
the preamp has produced. It depends
on the particular method that is
employed in the unit to attenuate the
signal. A passive level control may be
employed if C.D. output level and
impedance is appropriate and the cable
lengths can be kept short. Inexpensive
passive level control units may not
have a high quality control
potentiometer and thus may produce
noise or channel imbalance at some
settings. Try to listen in your listening
environment to the exact piece of
hardware you will be buying, before
purchase if possible.
The second most important
consideration for a speaker system is
the speaker/amplifier interface cable
itself. Far too much is made of this by
most audiophiles and the audiophile
press contributes greatly to this
puffery for many reasons, the least of
which is not the need to feed the
voracious appetite of the many
monthly press runs. Never the less, the
speaker cable can affect the sound.
More often from just poor connection
causes or inappropriate applications
than for the pseudo-science reasons
dreamed up by the marketing
departments of some of the cable
manufacturers. Having said that, we
would be remiss if we did not point
out to you that Westlake Audio
manufactures its WI and BWI series of
speaker cable assemblies which we
feel will provide you with good
conductivity, low P.E. Distortion and
reasonable installation flexibility from
the amplifiers to an Lc series speaker
system. Available in various wire
sizes, lengths, terminations and
performance options, contact your
dealer or Westlake Audio for price and
availability.
Whatever cable you chose, keep
the following points (which will affect
the speaker performance) in mind as
you contemplate your installation. The
speaker and the amplifier form a
cohesive energy transfer system. The
less interference the cable gives during
this transfer, the better. Keep it
simple, short and direct. In general the
lower the cable resistance the better
(and louder) the sound will be.
Normally a number 10 or 12 gauge
(AWG) conductor size is adequate for
short runs of two to eight feet (.6 to 2.4
meters) #7 gauge for runs up to 12 feet
(3.3 meters) and #4 gauge for runs over
12 feet. Runs over 20 feet should be
avoided if possible. You may use
larger gauges for smaller runs although
the sonic benefits will be minimal
unless the amplifier has a very low
output impedance, the connections are
extremely good, the source equipment
and software are exemplary and the
7
listening environment is unusually
quiet. Westlake cables offer an ultra
high strand count for any given gauge
and an engraved silicone insulation.
The two conductor pairs are twisted,
which means all features combined,
our cable assemblies are the most
flexible in the industry, for their
current carrying capacity. Additionally
we offer P.E./3rd wire, shielding and “ETerm” performance enhancing options
to maximize the listening detail.
For the maximum fidelity
possible, double cabling the Lc
speakers input (i.e. using the spade
and banana portion of the speaker’s
input connector simultaneously) will
produce the highest resolution that the
system can provide. It does so by
reducing the load factor being applied
to either cable, and this minimizes its
sonic character. Caution should be
exercised however, to be certain not to
reverse the polarity of one of the sets as
this would obviously short the output
of the power amplifier.
Although shorter is better, do
not place the speaker closer than 24” (.6
meters) to the power amplifier. The Lc
series crossover employs air core
inductors which can receive and
transmit magnetic signals which may
cause distortion if placed too close to
associated electronics. On the same
line of thinking, do not split the two
conductors of a speaker cable apart as
this will form a magnetic loop which
can also transmit and receive signals
which may cause distortion. Do not
run the speaker cable within a
confined space such as a conduit with
other cables including the other
channels in a multichannel system.
Keep the speaker cable away from
signal input cables or power cords. Try
to use the same length of cable to each
speaker. Westlake Audio Cable
Muffs™ provide effective cable
management tools to aid in optimizing
the cable installation.
Be sure to make a good
connection at both ends of the cable.
Clean the terminations prior to
installing, with alcohol or suitable
connector cleaner. Particular attention
should be paid to banana type
connectors as repeated insertion will
cause metal particles to be shredded
and imbedded in the female portion of
the mating parts. Inserting an alcohol
wetted, wooden shank cotton swab
into the female portion while slowly
rotating it with your fingers should
produce a sanitary connection. Quite a
bit of pressure, while rotating the
cotton swab, may be required for
complete insertion of the swab into the
female contacts depending on the exact
size of the shank and head. An
appropriate product is shipped with all
Westlake cable assemblies or may be
ordered from us. Consumer type
products (Q-tips, etc.) may or may not
be appropriate in this application as
the head must be inserted all the way
into the connector and rotated several
times to be effective. Upon removal of
the swab, a grayish look will be
testament to a potentially dirty sound.
Remember, repeated additional
insertions of the banana connector will
mandate re-cleaning. Clean the male
portion of the banana plug with the
cotton swab around the entire
perimeter. Spade lugs and terminal
strip terminations are slightly less
problematic, but none-the-less should
be carefully cleaned before
installation, particularly if the
components being interfaced have
seen prior service. Cleaning the spade
lugs themselves is straight forward but
placing them on an appropriate work
surface where a fair amount of
pressure can be applied is helpful. The
barrier strip or binding post can be
cleaned by employing the cotton end
8
of a moistened swab (if the threads
will allow enough expansion to fit) or
the bare wood shank end (moistened)
in some instances depending on
mounting geometry. Where access to
the connection is limited, the
cardboard backing of an office memo
pad may be employed as an aid.
Simply trace the outline of the mating
spade lug and cut out a dummy with
scissors or razor blade. Lightly
moisten with alcohol and then insert
into the barrier strip. Apply a slight
amount of pressure by partially
tightening the binding post nut.
Repeatedly tighten and loosen the post
while rotating the cardboard dummy
lug to cause the contacting surface to
be cleaned.
Good connections are
paramount to good sound! Double
check each screw, nut or banana upon
completion of the installation to make
sure each connection is tight and clean!
Also check to see that all wiring
polarity (+ to + etc.) has been
maintained, especially in multichannel systems.
THE SYSTEM, DEBUG IT BEFORE
LISTENING:
Many a good speaker has been
unjustifiably tried and convicted of
audio heresy not because of what it
does but because of what’s going on up
stream. So take a little time to
determine if the system itself is
interfaced properly and producing the
best sonic results. The first rule of
good sound is that with things set up
and ready to go (normal volume
setting) and no source playing, there
should be no noise emanating from the
speakers that is audible at the listening
position. Moving closer to the speaker,
nothing should be audible until the ear
is within 18” (1/2 meter) and then only
slightly if the amplifying electronics
are not of the best quality. From the
tweeter will come the mid and high
frequency noise and from the woofer a
light humming. With the best quality
electronics the hum and hissing
sounds should be all but inaudible
unless the ear is placed directly in
front of the drivers in a very quiet
environment!
If hum, hiss, ticks, pops or
buzzing radio interference signals can
be heard, then the system is not ready
for prime time listening and some
serious trouble shooting needs to take
place either by the system user or a
qualified technician.
Noise by another name is
distortion! You cannot have distortion
free reproduction while the aforementioned sonic gremlins are present.
Additionally these items should be
observed over some time period as
audio interference can be continuous,
random or periodic. If a previously
good sounding system develops a case
of the blasé’s “New” noise could be the
culprit.
TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS:
While complete trouble
shooting is beyond the scope of this
manual, the following bit of
information may help you look for
possible solutions. Noises can be local
to the system itself or externally
generated. Examples of external
noises are hum and buzzes that are not
always present, police/cell
transmissions, light dimmer buzz and
heating/air conditioning noises.
Examples of internal noises are hum or
noise that is always present or when
specific program sources are selected
or during specific cycling of
equipment in the system (i.e. loading
C.D., turning on turntable, etc.).
Noises can be generated from
defective equipment (bad power
supply, etc.); improperly installed
equipment (wrong voltage selected,
9
incorrect wiring), equipment or
physical interference (power amp too
close to turntable pick up, audio
equipment located too close to air
conditioner or other noise sources,
audio equipment on same circuit as
noise source), too many or not enough
ground connections and wiring
routing. A good method of isolating
the problem is to start with the
amplifier connected only to the
speaker and work upstream as you add
each piece of equipment. If it causes a
noise or hum there is either a problem
in that piece of gear, in the way it is
connected (including wire routing,
ground looping or defective cables) or
its physical location in the system.
Don’t discount the possibility
that your local A.C. power is too high
or low for your equipment even if it is
within the power company specs. Line
filter/regulators, although expensive
for good ones, may help in some
situations. Often, once wiring and
interface bugs are worked out, the
system will operate satisfactorily
without outboard line conditioners.
Many claims for sonic improvement of
the system comes from self noise
reduction (including P. E. Distortion)
rather than the imagined external noise
sources such as power company and/or
neighbor sources.
FOR THE LONG TERM, GOOD
SOUND, SAFETY AND
MAINTENANCE:
Safety codes require all
electrical equipment to possess a high
degree of isolation resistance from the
power line and/or possess a chassis
ground that cannot be broken.
However, our listening tests have
shown that more than one pathway to
the safety ground for the audio ground
can be debilitating to the sound.
Therefore selecting audio components
(turntable, C.D. and pre-amp, etc.) that
have an “audio ground to chassis select
(switch or jumper)” system can be
beneficial to optimizing your listening
experience. Although a “floating”
audio system ground can provide an
acceptable listening experience, often
tying the audio ground to the building
safety ground and/or to a purpose
installed, low impedance “earth”
ground can improve the sonic
impression.
In general your Lc system
should provide years of trouble free
use. Only the highest quality
components are used in all Westlake
Audio Speaker Systems. Although
normally maintenance free, occasional
degaussing is recommended (See
separate Application Note for methods
of degaussing, external and
internal/self degaussing). Additionally
removal of fibers (however small and
seemingly insignificant) from cones
and domes can optimize sound
definition. Use a can of compressed
air, (being careful not to over
pressurize the tweeter dome) masking
tape lightly applied and non-magnetic
tweezers. This requires a steady hand
and patience. In a dim room, view
using a small flash light skimming the
driver surface through a stereo
optivisor or other magnifying device.
If stronger cleaning than just dust or
finger prints becomes necessary, do
not use aggressive cleaning agents.
Seek out those products recommended
for fine furniture. Pre-test a small
unobvious portion of the speaker first.
Do not apply cleaning solutions to the
tweeter dome under any conditions.
Do not leave the system exposed to the
elements, including direct sunlight.
Every year or two (or if sound becomes
unclear) a close inspection of the
tweeter dome, woofer/mid cones and
dust caps and surrounds should be
made using a magnifying (Optivisor or
other) glass to look for any damage
10
that would produce bad sound. Of
particular interest would be loose dust
caps or surrounds that could allow air
to flow through small holes or cracks,
causing spectrum contamination.
In the event that replacement
drivers are required, seek out authentic
Westlake Audio replacement parts.
While other parts may look similar,
they are unlikely to possess the exact
characteristics necessary to reinstate
the original Westlake sound. When
replacing drivers you or your
technician should note the color coding
of the wire (color to + or red terminal)
and maintain correct wiring polarity
within the speaker itself. Also, it
should be noted that the Lc system
uses a shock absorbing foam gasket
that should only be compressed
enough to seal the driver/cabinet
interface (usually 10-15%
compression). Additionally the
mounting screws employ a shock
absorbing, isolation rubber grommet
under the head. The grommet will
prevent over-tightening of the
mounting screw as it will distort or be
forced out from the head if the screw is
over tightened. Be aware that the
gasket is self adhering and can hold a
driver in place (especially if it has been
installed for a long time) even after the
screws have been removed. Caution!
Within a few minutes the driver will
usually fall out, potentially damaging
the finish or nearby objects. Putting
slight and constant (up to 1 minute)
pressure on the driver with fingers or
hook at the mounting hole (don’t
wedge a screw driver under tweeter or
cosmetic damage may result) will
expedite its removal.
Your unit may have been
supplied with a “P.E. Antenna”™
and/or driver muffs™ on some or all of
your speaker system drivers. The
antenna (wires) should not be
disconnected/removed from the
mounting screw heads unless service is
required. If they are removed for
service, they should be re-installed in
the exact same manner. Particular
attention to antenna wire routing
including passing under the screw
head (connect) versus under the
grommet (no connect).
Be careful not to accidentally
damage or blow out your speakers.
Because it may be beneficial from a
sound standpoint to power your
speaker with a power amplifier more
powerful than the Lc-Series
can handle on a long term basis, please
note the following:
• Always turn the power amplifier
off or disconnect it from the
speakers when changing
equipment or cables.
• Always turn the volume control
down on your preamp when
selecting different source
devices as each may have
different levels and some
preamps may pop or click
loudly when switched.
• When selecting a new piece of
software, reduce and/or readjust
the level until it is appropriate.
• Be careful not to set the level too
high at the intro, as many
performances build to a
crescendo or have unexpected
loud transient passages which
may or not be identified in the
accompanying literature.
• Be careful not to overpower the
speakers or your ears. The Lc
system is capable of generating
sound pressure levels that can
produce temporary, or under
prolonged use, permanent
hearing loss (particularly in the
“close field” listening set up). If
after a listening session your
ears ring or hurt, you have
exposed yourself to too high a
sound pressure level and should
11
rest your ears by reducing the
level, if not postponing any
further use. If at any time the
sound coming out of the Lc
systems does not sound good or
has changed from its previous
character, discontinue operating
it until service can be performed
on the Lc system or the
associated electronics.
Lc SERIES OPTIONS:
1) T.V. Version: A magnetically shielded woofer and compensated tweeter
assembly allows use of the Lc Series near C.R.T. video monitors. (The regular
units may have to be placed 10” or 25cm or more, away from sensitive video
monitors). The Lc265.1 (V and H versions) and Lc24.75 models incorporate
these features in all units as standard.
2) Super Duper Speaker Muffs: These foam muffs as described previously can
enhance the stereo image and apparent bass response. Some muffs may have
integral P.E. antennas™. Highly recommended for the ultimate listening
experience with the Lc system.
3) Dedicated speaker stands: Designed to optimize listening height, sound
isolation and P.E. distortion. Check for availability for particular model
specifications, etc.
4) Westlake Audio Speaker Cables: The ultimate in conductivity flexibility and
low P.E. distortion. Various sizes, lengths and performance options.
Contact your Westlake Audio dealer for price and availability.
5) Westlake Audio Interconnect Cable Assembly: Low P.E. signal cables to
interface source, pre and power amplifiers in balanced, unbalanced and
custom lengths and terminations.
6) Westlake Audio Cable Muffs™: Cable management and dampening devices
in various sizes and shapes assist in optimizing the system performance.
Effective tools for extracting the most from your system.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Common to all Lc Series are:
• Extensive electro-mechanical-acoustical dampening
• Integrated, dual path, iso-back™ Low P.E. Distortion™
• Passive crossover for single or bi-amp (3 way models only) operation
• Internally wired with Westlake Audio “Super Flex™ wire
• Integral port buffer-brace™ for high resolution sound field
• Black knit removable grill frame with integral P. E. antenna™
• Warranty is 5 years for Hi Fi applications and 1 year for Professional Studio
applications. However, we frequently receive unsolicited comments from
long-time owners who attest to complete satisfaction with their Westlake
Audio products after decades of continuous use. We are proud of our 40+
years of professional and Hi Fi products’ history.
12
Lc265.1V: Vertical, 3-Way Low “P.E.” Distortion™, High Resolution, concentric high
and mid frequency loudspeaker, small footprint. Shielded, dual 61/2” woofers, 5”
mid-range/coaxial 1” dome tweeter.
• Frequency Response……...............................................................48Hz-18kHz ± 3dB
• Sensitivity………………………………….……………..91dB @ 1m for 2.83V input
• Impedance………………………………………….......5 ohms nominal, 3 minimum
• Power Handling…………………………………………….95W/400W per IEC 268-5
• Size……………….………………..….27.75”H x 9.25”W x 12”D (70.5x23.5x30.5 cm)
• Weight……………………………..……………………………………60 lb (27.22 Kg)
• Inputs: …………………………………………2 dual banana, 5 way binding posts
Options…………………………...…….Westlake Audio speaker and cable muffs,
speaker and/or interconnect cables, dedicated speaker stand as well as matching, low
profile center channel version (see below).
Lc265.1: Horizontal, Coaxial Mid Tweeter, Dual 6.5” Woofers, 3-Way with Magnetic
Shielding (all) for center channel or low profile stereo.
• Frequency Response……................................................................48Hz-20kHz ± 3dB
• Sensitivity……………………………………..…………..91dB @ 1m for 2.83V input
• Impedance………………………………………...…....5 ohms nominal, 3 minimum
• Power Handling……………………………………..…….125W/400W per IEC 268-5
• Size……………….………………....…….8”H x 22”W x 11”D (20.3 x 55.9 x 27.9 cm)
• Weight…………………………………………………...…………………42 lb (19 Kg)
• Options……………………………………Isolation pad , speaker muff and cables
• Input Connector…..……………………….……….2 (Bi-wired) dual banana 5-way
Lc24.75: Horizontal, Magnetically Shielded, Dual 4” Woofers and ¾” Dome Tweeter.
Low Profile 2-Way system for Stereo or Center Channel.
• Frequency Response……….........................................................65 to 20,000 Hz ±3dB
• Sensitivity………………………….…………………89dB SPL for 2.83V input
@1m
• Impedance..………………………………..…5 ohms nominal, 3 minimum, 16 max
• Power Handling…………………..75W long term, 225W short term per IEC 268-5
• Size……………………………….……..6.25”H x 16.5”W x 7.125”D (15.9x42x18 cm)
• Weight……………………………………………..…………………..…18 lbs (8.15Kg)
• Options……………………………...…….Isolation pad, speaker muffs and cables
• Input Connector…………………………...……………Single Dual Banana, 5-Way
Lc4.75: Very compact, 2-way, 4” woofer, ¾” dome tweeter
• Frequency Response………........................................................65 to 20,000 Hz ±3dB
13
• Sensitivity………………………………..…………..85dB SPL for 2.83V input @1m
• Impedance..……………………………..……7 ohms nominal, 4 minimum, 16 max
• Power Handling………………….60W long term, 200W short term per IEC 268-5
• Size………………………..…..12”H x 5.5”W x 7.125”D w/bumper (15.9x42x18 cm)
• Weight………………………..………………………………………..…12 lbs (5.45Kg)
• Options……………………………...…….Isolation pad, speaker muffs and cables
• Input Connector………………………...……...……….Single Dual Banana, 5-Way
Lc5.75: Compact, 2-way, 5” woofer, ¾” dome tweeter
• Frequency Response……………………………………………....60 Hz-20kHz ± 3dB
• Sensitivity……………………………………….……86dB SPL for 2.83V input @1m
• Impedance…………………………………..…7 ohms nominal, 4 minimum, 16 max
• Power Handling………………………………………………..80-200W per IEC 268-5
• Size……………………………………………...14”Hx6.5”Wx9”D (35.6x16.5x22.9 cm)
• Weight………………………………………………..…………………….18 lbs (8.2Kg)
• Options……………………………………..Isolation pad, speaker muffs and cables
• Input Connector……………………………………………..……Dual Banana, 5-Way
Lc6.75: Small, 2-way, 6 ½” woofer, ¾” fabric dome tweeter
• Frequency Response……................................................................60Hz-20kHz ± 3dB
• Sensitivity……………………………………..…………..88dB @ 1m for 2.83V input
• Impedance…………………………………...……...… 7 ohms nominal, 5 minimum
• Power Handling………………………………………...…..80W/200W per IEC 268-5
• Size…………………………..………………16”Hx8”Wx10”D (40.6 x 20.3 x 25.4 cm)
• Weight…………………………………………………...…………………22 lb (10 Kg)
• Input Connector…………………………………………………Dual Banana, 5-Way
• Options…………………………………. Cables, Speaker Muffs, Shielded Drivers
Lc8.1: Medium size 2-way, 8” woofer with dynamic dampening, 1” dome tweeter
• Frequency Response…………………………................................55Hz-20kHz ± 3dB
• Sensitivity…………………………………………….....90.5dB @ 1m for 2.83V input
• Power Handling………………………………….…………85W/225W per IEC 268-5
• Size……………………………...…..18”H x 10”W x 11.625”D (45.7 x 25.4 x 29.5 cm)
• Weight…………………………………………………………………….31 lb (14.1Kg)
• Inputs…………………………..…………………………Single Dual Banana, 5-Way
• Options………………..……….Magnetic Shielding, Dedicated Subwoofer/stand
Lc8.1 SW: Dedicated Dual 10” Sub Woofer Pedestal for Lc8.1 System
• Frequency Response (With Lc8.1)………..………………………34Hz.20kHz ±
3dB
• Sensitivity……….…………………………..….………..90.5dB @1m for 2.83V input
• Impedance........………………..……………………………5 nominal / 2.5 minimum
• Power Handling…………………………………..……180/450W @1m per IEC 268-
5
• Size………………………….26.8”H x 13.7”W x 14.7”D (68.1 H x 38.8 W x 37.3 cm)
• Weight……………………………………………...…………………..100 lbs (45.4 Kg)
14
• Input Connectors……..2 5-Way Dual Bananas for Bi-Wiring or Passive Bi-Amp
• Options…………………………....……………...…………Speaker Cables or Muffs
Lc3w10V (Vertical) and LC3W10H (Horizontal) Compact 3-Way (10” Woofer, 4” Mid,
¾” Tweeter)
• Frequency Response…………………………………….………...42Hz-20kHz ±3d/B
• Sensitivity………………..…………………….…………88dB @ 1m for 2.83V input
• Impedance…………….………………………………………5 nominal / 3 minimum
• Power Handling…………..……………………………100/300W @1m per IEC 268-
5
• Size Lc3w10V…………………….24.25”H x 12”W x 14”D (61.5H x 30.5W x 35.6D cm)
Size LC3w10H………………………....…...12”H x 21”W x 13”D (30.5 x 53.3 x 33.0 cm)
• Weight Lc3w10V..……………………………………………..…...…71 lbs (32.2 Kg)
Weight Lc3w10H…………………..………………………...…..…….69 lbs (31.3 Kg)
• Input Connector…………………………………………..….Bi-Wired Dual Banana
• Options:…..….Dedicated Speaker Stand (Lc3w10V), Speaker Muffs and Cables
Lc3w12V (Vertical) and LC3W12H (Horizontal): High Resolution 3-way very low
distortion 12” paper cone woofer, 6 ½” mid with dynamic dampening, 1” fabric dome
tweeter
• Frequency Response………………………………………..……..40Hz-18kHz ± 3dB
• Sensitivity……………………………………..…………..91dB @1m for 2.83V Input
• Impedance…………………………………………………….5 nominal / 3 minimum
• Power Handling…………………………......................110/300W @1m per IEC 268-
5
• Size LC3W12V……………...29.5”H x14.5”W x 15.5”D (63.5H x38.1W x 38.1D cm)
Size LC3W12H………………………....15”H x 25”W x 15”D (38.1 x 63.5 x 38.1 cm)
• Weight………………………………………..………………………..105 lbs (47.6 Kg)
• Input Connector………………………………..………….…Bi-Wired Dual Banana
• Options….....Dedicated Speaker Stands, (Lc3W12V) Speaker Muffs and Cables
15
Thank you for your confidence in Westlake Audio products. If you have any
comments, good or bad, or have suggestions of other products you might like to see
us offer, please feel free to contact us at:
1-805-499-3686 (Phone)
1-805-498-2571 (Fax)
Or:
Westlake Audio Manufacturing Group
2696 Lavery Court, Unit 18
Newbury Park, California U.S.A. 91320-1591
http://www.westlakeaudio.com
info@westlakeaudio.com
Good luck and good listening!
©Copyright 2012 by Westlake Audio Inc.
Copying any part of this manual without the express written permission of Westlake
Audio is prohibited. All rights reserved.
File: RevLcOpManual 1-1-12
16
17
Loading...