Wharfedale Pro Crystal CR 8, Crystal CR 10, Crystal CR 20, Crystal CR 30, Crystal CR 40 Instruction Manual

Thename ‘WHARFEDALE' is a registered trademark of Wharfedale International Limited.

Wharfedalehas a policy of continuous product development and reserves the right to change
specificationwithout notice.

Wharfedaleis a member of the International Audio Group.

1932

In1932, when Gilbert Briggs founded the Wharfedale Wireless Works, his company was at the
leadingedge of an exciting new technology which was dedicated to bringing the pleasure of
musicand entertainment to a wide range of people. As the technology advanced Wharfedale
gavemany music lovers their first taste of High Fidelity, mounting a series of live sound
demonstrationswhich excited the audio world and heralded the era of the modern hi-fi
loudspeaker.

TodayWharfedale still takes the same uncompromising approach to the design and manufacture
ofevery loudspeaker system, using high quality components and state-of-the-art testing to
ensureconsistently high performance. And that means that you can continue to count on the
qualityof all Wharfedale products.

Loudspeaker Manufacturers since 1932

Specifications and Service

Dimensions Overall
HxWxDmm
HxWxDinches

Nominal Impedance

Recommended Amplifier Power

Sensitivity (1W@1m)

FrequencyResponse

Bass Unit

Midrange Unit

Wharfedale Crystal speakers are compatible with most currently available audio amplifiers

Authorised Wharfedale Service Centres

Forinformation on other authorised service centres worldwide contact
WharfedaleInternational in the U.K.

Aworldwide distributor list is available on the Wharfedale website:
www.wharfedale.co.uk

TrebleUnit

220x 180 x 155

8.7x 7.1 x 6.1

4Ohms

25-60Watts

84dB

75-20kHz

101mm

Crystal

CR 8

25mmTextile

295x 210 x 225

11.6x 8.3 x 8.9

4Ohms

25-100 Watts

86dB

55-20kHz

170mm

Crystal
CR 10

25mmTextile

330x 235 x 225

13.0x 9.3 x 8.9

4Ohms

25-100 Watts

86dB

45-20kHz

170mm

Crystal

CR 20

25mmTextile

850x 235 x 225

33.5x 9.3 x 8.9

4Ohms

25-100 Watts

87dB

40-20kHz

170mm

Crystal
CR 30

25mmTextile

1000x 235 x 225

39.4x 9.3 x 8.9

4Ohms

30-150 Watts

88dB

30-20kHz

170mm

170mm Bass-Mid

Crystal
CR 40

25mmTextile

167x 380 x 155

6.6x 15.0 x 6.1

4Ohms

25- 100 Watts

86dB

60-20kHz

2x 101 mm

Crystal
CR CEN

25mmTextile

USA

IAGAmerica, Inc.
15Walpole Park South
Walpole
MA02081
Tel:[phone]

CANADA

KorbonTrading Ltd
6800Kitimat Road
Units19-20
Mississauga
Ontario
Tel:[phone]

UK

WharfedaleInternational Ltd.
IAGHouse, Sovereign Court,
ErmineBusiness Park,
Huntingdon,
CambsPE29 6XU,
England.
Tel:[phone]
Fax:[phone]

Crystal
Series

Instruction Manual

BRITAIN'S MOST FAMOUS LOUDSPEAKERS

Ifyour systemappears not tobe working aswell as youexpect, the followingnotes may be
ofsome help.

Beforeinvestigating thecause ofa problem, alwaysswitch offthe system atthe mains.

Pleasebear in mindthat Home Theatre systemscan be quitecomplex and there isoften a
varietyof factorsinvolved.

Pleaseread thismanual togetherwith all themanuals concerningthe rest ofyour system.

If,having attempted toresolve the problem,the trouble still persists,consult your dealer for
assistance.

DoNOT try toremove any coverson the product orattempt to dismantle itin any way.There
areno userserviceable partsinside and youwill invalidateany warranty.

Televisionpicture is distorted or there is colour distortion

Excessivebass distortion atlow volume levels

Excessiveor distorted bass at high volume levels

Poppingsounds or thumps from Front speakers or subwoofer

Indistinctsound
Poorlocalisation of effects

Distortedor rattling sounds at high volume levels

Soundlacks bass content
Bassreproduction muddy or indistinct

NoSound

Symptom

Frontloudspeakers or subwoofer too closeto the TV. (Switchoff the system and TV. Move loudspeaker
away.Leave 15 mins. Switch onagain)

Basslevel set too high
LFElevel set too high

Systemlevel set too high
Frontloudspeakers or subwoofer too close to room corners

Systemlevel set too high
LFElevel set too high: Subwoofer level set too high

Oneor more loudspeakers is out of phase
(Seethe relevant pages of this manual for the correct connection procedure)

Systemlevel set too high
Objectsplaced on Front loudspeakers or subwoofer

Loudspeakerswired incorrectly
Frontspeakers set to ‘Small’ with no subwoofer connected

Systemnot switched on
Wrongsource selected

PossibleCause

Further help and advice

A wide range of AV and audio topics can be found at the Wharfedale web site.

Home Theatre is discussed in depth at the Dolby Laboratories web site.

The Digital Theater Systems web site is also full of interest and worth a visit.

www.wharfedale.co.uk

www.dolby.com

www.dtsonline.com

Troubleshooting

ConnectingYour Loudspeakers-Bi-Wiring

Bi-Amplifying (Bi-Amping)

CentreChannel andSurround Connections

ConventionalLoudspeakers

CRCEN CentreLoudspeaker

Note:

Usingseparate cables for treble and bass units in a Bi-Wiring configurationreduces intermodulation
effectsand improves headroomand clarity. Tobi-wire, you will needto install two lengthsof twin core
cablebetween theamplifier andeach loudspeaker.

Unscrew each terminal a few turns and removethe metal straps. Connect the cables between the
amplifierand theloudspeakers asindicated above andre-tighten allthe terminals securely.

Some amplifiers have twopairs ofoutput terminalsto facilitatebi-wiring butthis is not
essential.The advantages of bi-wiring are fully retained if your amplifier hasonly one pair of output
terminalsper channel(as inthe illustration).

Byconnecting each loudspeaker driveunit to its owndedicated amplifier the advantages ofBi-Wiring
canbe extended. If you own two identical stereo power amplifiers, your Crystal speakers may be Bi­Amped.For furtherdetails pleaseconsult your dealer

The CR CENand rearsurround loudspeakersare intendedfor use specifically with AudioVisual
equipmenthaving Centre andRear loudspeaker outputs. Connectthese loudspeakers as shown,again
observingpolarity. The speakers maybe connected asshown, orbi-wired.

ModelsCR 30 and 40 are designed tobe floor standing. We suggest that they arepositioned at least
200mm fromthe rear wallsand 700 mm fromthe side walls,facing slightly inwards.Models CR 8,10
and20 should ideally bestand or wall mounted thoughthey may be placed ona rigid shelf. The bass
extensionwill improve if thesespeakers are operated closer tothe rear walls. A usefulrule of thumb is
thatthe listenershould beas far fromthe loudspeakersas they arefrom eachother.

If the loudspeakers are placed too close to thewalls the bass will increase but may beboomy and
indistinct. If the loudspeakersare placedfurther away fromthe walls,the inward anglemay be
increasedby up to 40%, although this may restrict the width of the optimum listening position. The
speakers should ideally be positioned sothat the trebleunits are roughly atear level to aseated
listener.As personal taste playsa large role, experiment withdifferent configurations and play awide
rangeof programmesbefore finalisingthe position ofyour speakers.

Theloudspeaker should be positioned centrally between the loudspeakers close to the televisionand
mountedeither aboveor belowthe screen.

Theloudspeaker should be located ona stable flat surface to avoid anydanger of the cabinet moving
whenit is vibratedby high sound levels.If you mount theunit on top ofthe television, move itforward
sothat the front grilles arelevel with or slightly in front ofthe screen. This will reduce reflectionsfrom
thescreen andthe topof the cabinet.

Although you can place the centre channel
loudspeakerunder the TVmonitor, this should always
beregarded as second best. The preferred position is
alwaysabove themonitor, asshown.

The CR CEN usesscreened driveunits andmay be
placedclose toa TVscreen without ill-effects.

Conventional loudspeakers shouldnot beoperated
within 500mm of a TV screen as the drive unit
magnets may interferewith thepicture and cause
colourdistortion.

PositioningYourLourspeakers

.

Unpackingthe Speakers

Fittingthe Plinthand Spikes (CR 30,CR 40)

Standsand Brackets

CRCEN CentreChannel Loudspeaker

Choosingand PreparingCables

CrossoverNetworks

ConnectingLoudspeaker Terminals

ConnectingYour Loudspeakers-Standard Connections

Carefullyremove each loudspeaker from its packing carton. Be especially careful when removing the
polythenebag.

DONOT attemptto liftthe loudspeaker bythe polythenebag.

Retainthe packingfor futureuse. If youdecide todispose of thepacking, pleasedo so safely.

Carefullyinvert each loudspeaker.Protect the top surface
fromscratches or damagewhen the loudspeaker isin the
invertedposition.

Eachloudspeaker has fourspikes. Preparethe
spikesas shownand screw theminto the threads
on the base of the loudspeaker. Return the
loudspeaker to its normal positiontaking care
not to cause damagewith thespikes. When
movingspeakers, be carefulnot to let the spikes
pierceobjects or cableswhich may be concealed
underthe carpet. Neverdrag loudspeakers. If youcannot
liftthem easily,get someoneto assist you.

TheCR 8, 10 and20 are intended primarily forstand mounting, though they canbe mounted on wall
bracketsor even on sturdyshelves. The quality ofloudspeaker stands makes aconsiderable difference
tothe performanceof yourloudspeakers so donot useflimsy inferior products.

Aset ofself adhesive padsis provided.Peel offthe backing materialand fix apad closeto each cornerof
thebottom surfaceof theloudspeaker.

Specialist audio cable usually offers better performance than general
purpose'bell' or'zip' wire.

Choose a cable of suitable diameter - cablethat is too thin willlimit the
dynamicsof the sound and may impair the bass response. Audio cable is
polarised,with twocores of differentcolours, or oftena raised ribor coloured
tracerin thecase of twin cable.

Splitthe twin coresto a depth ofabout 40mm. Carefully stripthe insulation
fromeach end, leaving about 10mm of bare wire. If the cable isstranded,
lightlytwist togather anyloose strands.

Crystalloudspeakers use a specially designed bi-wireable
crossoverpanel with four terminal binding posts. Please
followthe drawing carefully to see the correct orientation
ofthe loudspeaker terminals.The upper terminals connect
to the trebleunit, the lower pair to the bass unit. As
supplied,the treble terminal pair is connected tothe bass
terminalpair via removablemetal straps. These shouldbe
leftin placefor standardinstallations.

Unscrew the terminal. Thread thebared end ofeach cable through thehole in thebottom of the
terminalpost. Ensure that there are no loose strands which may touch adjacentterminals. Retighten
theterminal securely.The drawingabove illustratesthemethod.

:When connecting loudspeakers,the cables toleft and rightchannels should beof equal length,

regardlessof thedistance ofthe speakers fromthe amplifier.This applies tofront andrear channels.

Choosea suitablelength of twincore speakercable for eachchannel, andprepare the endsas described
above.Unscrew eachterminal afew turns butleave thestraps in place.

Connectthe red, positive(+) terminal of the Leftloudspeaker to the correspondingred, positive (+)
amplifierterminal. Connect theblack, negative (-) terminals similarly.Tighten the terminalssecurely.
Repeatthis procedurefor theRight Channel.

NOTE

Wharfedale Crystal Series Installation and User Guide

Introduction

TheWharfedale Crystal Seriesisarange of versatileloudspeakers using advancedmaterials and thelatest
precisiondrive units. The CR10 and 20 are small stand mounting loudspeakers. The CR30and 40 are
floor-standing models. The range includesa centre channel, CRCEN. The CR8 maybe used aseither
surroundsound speakers in HomeTheatre applications, or as the mainspeakers in a small stereo system.
Tocomplementyour system, choosefrom ourrange of Powercubepowered subwoofersfor the perfectHome
Cinema experience. Thank you for purchasing Wharfedale.We hope your loudspeakers will giveyou a
rewardinglistening experiencefor manyyears .

Beforemaking connections to any part of your sound system make sure the amplifier and all connected
sourcesare switchedoff.

Whenyou switchon your systemor change sources,set the volumecontrol to minimumand turnup the
level gradually.

DO NOT use your amplifier at full volume. The position of theVolume Control is NOT a reliable
guideas to the maximum volume level or capabilitiesof your sound system. Playing the system with
extremehigh settings of volume and tonecontrols will result in distorted sound andmay damage the

amplifierand loudspeakers.

DONOT connectloudspeaker terminalsto the mainssupply.

Ensurethat allloudspeakers inthe system arecorrectly wiredand are inphase.

DONOT subjectyour loudspeakersto excessive cold,heat, humidityor sunlight.

WARNING: To reduce the risk offire or electrical shock do not exposethis product to rain or moisture.
Theproduct must not be exposedto dripping and splashing and noobject filled with liquids such asa
vaseof flowersshould beplaced on theproduct.

Nonaked flamesources -such as candles- mustbe placed onthe product.

DONOT placeheavy objectson top ofloudspeaker cabinets.

NEVERlet anyone,especially childrenpush anything intoholes, slotsor other openingin thecase.

Ifyou wishto play yourloudspeakers with their

grillesremoved becareful toprotect the driveunits fromchildren and pets.

DONOT usemakeshift stands. Alwaysfit a manufacturer'sapproved stand accordingto the instructions
andusing thefixings provided.Your dealer willadvise you.

Pleaseread theseinstructions carefullybefore installing your Wharfedaleloudspeakers.

NEVERtouch thedrive units whichare easily damaged.

Preparing and Connecting YourLoudspeakers

LEFTRIGHT

Linksbetween
Treble& Bass

terminals
removed

Bass

Treble

FRONT

LEFT

FRONT
RIGHT

TheHome Theatre Environment

Careand Maintenance

Frontand EffectsChannels

SettingLoudspeaker Sizes

SettingLevels

DelaySettings

LFE

Phase

HidingCables

RunningIn

Guarantee& Service

Conclusion

Manydigital AVProcessors requireyou to specifythe sizeof speakers inall channels.

Always choose 'Small'for the Surround channels and Centre channel whether you are using a
subwooferor not.

Setthe Front Speakersto ‘Large’.Set the ‘Subwoofer’ optionon

theprocessor to'Off' or‘No'. TheFrontchannels willnow receive allthe systembass.

:When set to ‘Small’all the system basswill go into the subwoofer.If
you choose ‘Large’ the Frontchannel bass willbe reproduced fromthe Front speakers.Bookshelf
speakersshould beset to‘Small’, large floorstanding units may be setto ‘Large’.

Once the loudspeaker settings have beenfinalised, put the AV amplifierinto its “Test” mode (see
instructionssupplied with your processor). Adjustthe level of each channel in turn untilall channels
arereproduced atequal loudness.

Onsome programme material the surround channel may seem lower than the front. Do not readjust
thislevel. You may,however, need to adjust thesubwoofer output level. Avoid settingtoo high a level
oryou willswamp the soundwith bass whichbe tiring to listento and maylimit the subwoofer’sability
torespond to large basstransients. You should also seta sensible level going intothe subwoofer from
theAV processor.

ManyAV processorsfeature delay settingsto enable surroundand dialogue informationto arrive atthe
listener’s earsat the same time as the Front channels, even whenthe listening seat is in a non-ideal
position.

Ifthe listening position is equidistantfrom the Front and Rearspeakers, set a low delay

setting.The closerthe listeneris to theRear speakersthe higher shouldbe thedelay setting used.

Ifthe Centre speaker islevel with (or slightlybehind) the Front speakers, setthe delay

tozero. Ifthe Centrespeaker is forwardof theFront speakers, increasethe delay.

Inthe cinema the Low FrequencyEffects channel is an extra basschannel with its own subwoofer and
not a regularsubwoofer channel. In domestic systemsthe LFE channel typically feeds into the
subwoofer.Where no subwoofer is used, the LFE signal is combined with Front Channel information.
Whenyou set theLFE level atyour AV processor, usecare as the powerfullow frequencies canoverload
domesticloudspeakers.
Ifyou hearpopping or thumpingnoises comingfrom the frontloudspeakers or subwoofer,immediately
turnthe AVProcessor's volumelevel down andthen backoff the LFElevel. Thisshould cure theproblem.
If it does not, back off thevolume level at the subwoofer(if you are using one)until the problem
disappears.

Pleaseread the relevantsections of yourAV amplifier manual andfamiliarise yourself withthe various
issues.If youare unsure,consult your dealerfor help.

AHome Theatre systemshould have a precisefront stage, a diffuserear stage andgood localisation of
dialogue.If thecolours on theloudspeaker terminalsdo not correspondwith those onthe amplifier, the
soundwill appear poorlyfocussed or ‘out ofphase’. For this reason itis essential that thespeakers are
connectedaccording tothe wiringdiagrams in thismanua

Whenmounting a loudspeaker on a wall theconnecting cables may be unacceptably obvious. Whilst
cablescan be routedfrom the loudspeakerto the floor,it may beless obtrusive toroute cables from the
loudspeakerto the ceiling andthen within the ceiling (orpossibly coving) or immediately underneath
theceiling (orcoving). Thecable may thenreturn tofloor level ata convenientroom corner.

Theloudspeaker cabinets can becleaned with a damp cloth orwith a spray furniture polishand a soft
cloth.Apply the spray sparingly to thecloth and then polish the cabinet.Never apply spray directly to
thecabinet. Grillesshould beremoved and gentlybrushed witha soft brush.

Inthe unlikelyevent thatyour unit developsa faultyou should returnit toyour Wharfedale dealerusing
theoriginal packingto ensuresafe shipping.

Theterms ofyour guaranteemay vary indifferent countriesbut in allcases theguarantee excludes:

Alldamage causedthrough accident, misuse,wear andtear, neglect, incorrectinstallation, adjustment
orrepair byunauthorised personnel.

Liabilityfor damageor lossoccurring in transitto orfrom the purchaser.

Wharfedale will notbe liable for any consequential damage, loss or injury, arising from or in
conjunctionwith thisequipment.

TheCrystal seriesis justone of an extensiveand world-acclaimed range fromWharfedale,one of the
world’s oldest and most distinguished loudspeaker manufacturers. Thank you for purchasing
Wharfedale;we hopethis productbrings you manyyears ofreliable service andgood music.

Ifyou are notusing a subwoofer:

Ifyou are using asubwoofer

RearDelay:

CentreDelay:

l.

Cleaning

The front loudspeakers are placed on eitherside of the television screen,2 to 3 metres apart.The
speakersshould beangled slightlyso they areaimed towardsthe listeners.

Asthe rearsurround channels are the‘effects’ channels thereproduced sound shouldbe as roomfilling
aspossible. We recommend placingthe speakers in a high position, behind the listener’s head and
angledtowards the listener.If the rearwall is more than1metre behind thelistening seat, position the
unitson theside walls.If the wallsare along way fromthe listeningseat, consider standmounting.

Mostof the dialogue comesfrom the centre loudspeaker. Speechshouldappear to originate fromthe
actors’mouths. Operating heightis important. Ideallythe front andcentre channel speakersshould be
atthe sameheight. Forthis reason thecentre channelspeaker is bestoperated ontop of theTV monitor.
Thefront facesof thecentre and surroundloudspeakers shouldalso be inline asfar as possible.

Asthe ear isunable to detect thedirection from whichdeep bass originates, thisallows you freedomto
positionthe unit. Varyingthedistance from thewall alters the bass. Placing the subwoofer across a
cornerboosts thebass butmay impair clarity.

Theperformance ofHome Theatresystems can oftenbe enhancedby using apair ofsubwoofers.

Loudspeakersare electro-mechanicaland, like allmechanical systems,they need a'running in' period.
For the first 50 hours orso exercise careand play your systemat reasonable volume levels.After
runningin, youwill noticea significant sonicimprovement.

Subwoofer

REAR
RIGHT

REAR
LEFT

FRONT

LEFT

FRONT
RIGHT

CENTRE

ALTERNATIVE

POSITIONS

ALTERNATIVE

POSITIONS

SUB
BASS
UNIT

CENTRE

FRONT

REAR

LEFTLEFT RIGHTRIGHT

SUB

WOOFER

REAR

RIGHT

REAR
LEFT

CENTRE

LEFTRIGHT

FRONT

LEFT

FRONT

RIGHT

2 - 4 metres

>0.7metre

CR 30 CR 40

>200 mm

CR 8,10,20

>50 mm

1

5

-

4

0

º

VIDEO/DVD

RACK

TV

Caution - Connecting Wires

When connecting your loudspeakers,
avoid trailing cables across open floor
spaces where they can be a source of
danger.

Route cables safely under carpets or
alongroom boundaries.