Yamaha NS-SW050, NS-SW100 Owners Manual

Subwoofer
Caisson de grave

NS-SW100/NS-SW050

UR

OWNER’S MANUAL
MODE D’EMPLOI
MANUAL DE INSTRUCCIONES

EN

FR

ES

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT

Please record the serial number of this system in the
space below.

Model:

Serial No.:

The serial number is located on the rear of the main
unit.
Retain this Owner’s Manual in a safe place for future
reference.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to
alert you 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 within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert you to the
presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

Explanation of Graphical Symbols

1 Read these instructions.
2 Keep these instructions.
3 Heed all warnings.
4 Follow all instructions.
5 Do not use this apparatus near water.
6 Clean only with dry cloth.
7 Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in

accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8 Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,

heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.

9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or

grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult
an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10 Protect the power cord from being walked on or

pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11 Only use attachments/accessories specified by the

manufacturer.

12 Use only with the cart, stand,

tripod, bracket, or table
specified by the manufacturer,
or sold with the apparatus.
When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.

13 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when

unused for long periods of time.

14 Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally,
or has been dropped.

We Want You Listening For A Lifetime

YAMAHA and the Electronic Industries Association’s
Consumer Electronics Group want you to get the most out
of your equipment by playing it at a safe level. One that lets
the sound come through loud and clear without annoying
blaring or distortion – and, most importantly, without
affecting your sensitive hearing.

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Since hearing damage from loud
sounds is often undetectable until it is
too late, YAMAHA and the
Electronic Industries Association’s
Consumer Electronics Group
recommend you to avoid prolonged
exposure from excessive volume
levels.

Thank you for selecting this Yamaha product.

CAUTION: Read this before operating your unit

Please read the following operating precautions before use.
Yamaha will not be held responsible for any damage and/
or injury caused by not following the cautions below.

• To assure the finest performance, please read this
manual carefully. Keep it in a safe place for future
reference.

• Install this unit in a cool, dry, clean place - away from
windows, heat sources, sources of excessive vibration,
dust, moisture and cold. Avoid sources of humming
(transformers, motors). To prevent fire or electrical
shock, do not expose this unit to rain or water.

• The voltage to be used must be the same as that specified
on the rear panel. Using this unit with a higher voltage
than specified is dangerous and may cause a fire and/or
electric shock.

• Do not use force on switches, controls or connection
wires. When moving the unit, first disconnect the power
plug and the wires connected to other equipment. Never
pull the wires themselves.

• When not planning to use this unit for a long period (ie.,
vacation, etc.), disconnect the AC power plug from the
wall outlet.

• To prevent lightning damage, disconnect the AC power
plug when there is an electric storm.

• Since this unit has a built-in power amplifier, heat will
radiate from the rear panel. Place the unit apart from the
walls, allowing at least 20 cm of space above, behind and
on both sides of the unit to prevent fire or damage.
Furthermore, do not position with the rear panel facing
down on the floor or other surfaces.

• Do not cover the rear panel of this unit with a newspaper,
a tablecloth, a curtain, etc., in order not to obstruct heat
radiation. If the temperature inside the unit rises, it may
cause fire, damage to the unit and/or personal injury.

• Do not place the following objects on this unit:

- Glass, china, small metallic, etc.

If glass, etc., falls as a result of vibrations and breaks,
it may cause bodily injury.

- A burning candle etc.

If the candle falls as a result of vibration, it may cause
fire and bodily injury.

- A vessel containing water

If the vessel falls as a result of vibration and water
spills, it may cause damage to the speaker, and/or you
may get an electric shock.

• Do not place this unit where foreign material, such as
dripping water. It might cause fire, damage to this unit,
and/or personal injury.

• Never put a hand or a foreign object into the YST port
located on the right side of this unit. When moving this
unit, do not hold the port, as it might cause personal
injury and/or damage to this unit.

• Never place a fragile object near the YST port of this
unit. If the object falls or drops as a result of the air
pressure, it may cause damage to the unit and/or personal
injury.

• Never open the cabinet. It might cause an electric shock,
since this unit uses a high voltage. It might also cause
personal injury and/or damage to this unit. If something
drops into the set, contact your dealer.

• When using a humidifier, be sure to avoid condensation
inside this unit by allowing enough space around this
unit or avoiding excess humidification. Condensation
might cause fire, damage to this unit, and/or electric
shock.

• Super-bass frequencies reproduced by this unit may
cause a turntable to generate a howling sound. In such a
case, move this unit away from the turntable.

• This unit may be damaged if certain sounds are
continuously output at high volume level. For example,
if 20 Hz - 50 Hz sine waves from a test disc, bass sounds
from electronic instruments, etc., are continuously
output, or when the stylus of a turntable touches the
surface of a disc, reduce the volume level to prevent this
unit from being damaged.

• If you hear distortion (i.e., unnatural, intermittent
“rapping” or “hammering” sounds) coming from this
unit, reduce the volume level. Extremely loud playing of
a movie soundtrack’s low frequency, bass-heavy sounds
or similarly loud popular music passages can damage
this speaker system.

• Vibration generated by super-bass frequencies may
distort images on a TV. In such a case, move this unit
away from the TV set.

• Do not attempt to clean this unit with chemical solvents
as this might damage the finish. Use a clean, dry cloth.

• Be sure to read the “TROUBLESHOOTING” section
regarding common operating errors before concluding
that the unit is faulty.

• Install this unit near the wall outlet and where the AC
power plug can be reached easily.

• Secure placement or installation is the owner’s
responsibility. Yamaha shall not be liable for any
accident caused by improper placement or
installation of speakers.

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

English

ii En

• VOLTAGE SELECTOR
(Asia and General models only)
The voltage selector switch on the rear panel of this
unit must be set to your local main voltage BEFORE
plugging this unit into the AC main supply. Voltages
are 110-120/220-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz.

This unit is not disconnected from the AC power
source as long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even
if this unit itself is turned off. In this state, this unit is
designed to consume a very small quantity of power.

For Canadian Customers

To prevent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to
wide slot and fully insert.
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3 (B)

This unit’s speakers use magnets. Do not place items
that are sensitive to magnetism, such as CRT-type
TVs, clocks, credit cards, floppy disks, etc., on or
beside this unit.

Taking care of the subwoofer

• When you wipe this unit, do not use chemical solvents
(e.g., alcohol or thinners, etc.): this might damage the
finish. Use a clean, dry cloth. For difficult soils,
dampen a soft cloth in water, wring it out, and then
wipe with the cloth.

• (For polish-finished model) Bumping the surface of
the instrument with metal, porcelain, or other hard
objects can cause the finish to crack or peel. Use
caution.

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CONTENTS

6

1

2

5

3
4

Front

Rear

CONTROLS AND THEIR

FEATURES......................................................................... 1

CONTROLS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS.......................... 1

PLACEMENT..................................................................... 2

CONNECTIONS................................................................. 3

Connecting to such as subwoofer output terminal or

line output (pin jack) terminals of the amplifier........ 3

Plug in the subwoofer to the AC outlet

ADJUSTING THE SUBWOOFER BEFORE USE

ADVANCED YAMAHA ACTIVE SERVO

TECHNOLOGY II.............................................................. 5

TWISTED FLARE PORT ................................................... 5

TROUBLESHOOTING...................................................... 6

SPECIFICATIONS............................................................. 7

Frequency characteristic............................................ 7

........................ 3

................ 4

FEATURES

• This subwoofer employs Advanced Yamaha Active

Servo Technology II, which Yamaha has developed for
the production of higher quality, super-bass sound.
(Refer to page 5 for details on Advanced Yamaha Active
Servo Technology II.) This super-bass sound adds a
more realistic, theater-in-the-home effect to your audio
system.

• Equipped with the smooth super-bass reproducing

Twisted Flare Port.
The flared, gently twisting shape diffuses the vortex of
air generated around the edge of the port, creating a
smooth flow of air. This reduces extraneous noise not
present in the original input signal, and provides clear,
accurate low frequency reproduction.

FUNCTIONS

English

1 Twisted Flare Port

Outputs super-bass sound.

2 VOLUME control

Adjusts the volume level. Turn the control clockwise to
increase the volume, and counterclockwise to decrease
the volume.

3 Power indicator

Lights up Green when the POWER switch is turned
ON; turns off when the POWER switch is turned OFF.

4 INPUT (FROM AMPLIFIER) terminal

Used to connect the subwoofer with the subwoofer
terminal of the amplifier.
(Refer to “CONNECTIONS” for details.)

5 POWER switch

Press this switch to the ON position to turn on the
power to the subwoofer. Press this switch again to set
it to the OFF position to turn off the power of the
subwoofer.

6 VOLTAGE SELECTOR switch

(Asia and General models only)

If the preset setting of the switch is incorrect, set the
switch to the proper voltage (110-120/220-240V) of
your area.
Consult your dealer if you are unsure of the correct
setting.

WARNING

Be sure to unplug the subwoofer before setting the
VOLTAGE SELECTOR switch correctly.

1 En

PLACEMENT

A

or

( : subwoofer, : front speaker)

B

or

Note

The placement shown in the
figure on the right is also
possible. However, if the
subwoofer system is placed
directly facing a wall, the bass
effect may suffer due to phase
cancellation caused by the
interference between the
direct and reflected sounds.
To prevent this from
happening, place the
subwoofer system at an angle.
(Figures and )

Note

There may be a case
that you cannot obtain
enough super-bass
sound from the
subwoofer due to
standing waves.

A

B

Since the low-end frequencies of audio signals feature long wavelengths, they are almost non-directional to human ears.
The super-bass range does not create a stereo image. Therefore, a single subwoofer may be enough to produce a high­quality super-bass sound.

Note

• Placing the subwoofer too close to a CRT-type TV may impair the picture color or cause a buzzing noise. In this case,
place the subwoofer and TV at a separated position where these effects do not occur. This is not an issue with LCD and
plasma TVs.

• If the speaker volume is very loud, furniture or window glass may resonate and the subwoofer itself may vibrate. In this
case, lower the volume level. To limit resonance, use a thick curtain or similar cloth that tends to absorb sound vibrations
effectively. Also, changing the subwoofer position may be helpful.

2 En

CONNECTIONS

Amplifier (The rear panel of various
amplifiers may differ in appearance.)

To AC outlet

Note

• Unplug the subwoofer and other audio/video
components before making connections, and do not
plug them in until all connections are completed.

• Connecting methods and terminal names on your
component (such as an amplifier or receiver) may be
different from those used in this book. Please refer to
the owner’s manual that came with your component.

• After connecting, make sure that cable is connected
firmly.

Connecting to such as subwoofer output terminal or line output (pin jack) terminals of the amplifier

Connect to the subwoofer output terminal of the amplifier
(or AV receiver) using commercially available audio pin
cable.

If the amplifier (or AV receiver) has no subwoofer output
terminal, connect to the line output (such as PRE OUT)
terminal.

Plug in the subwoofer to the AC outlet

After all connections are completed, plug the subwoofer
and other audio/video components into AC outlets.

English

3 En

ADJUSTING THE SUBWOOFER BEFORE USE

Before using the subwoofer, adjust the subwoofer to obtain the optimum volume balance between the subwoofer and the
front speakers by following the procedure described below.

1 Set the VOLUME control to minimum (0).
2 Turn on the power of all the other components.
3 Make sure that the POWER switch is set to the ON position.

* The Power indicator lights up in green.

4 Play a source containing low-frequency components and adjust the amplifier’s volume control to the desired listening

level.

5 Increase the volume gradually to adjust the volume balance between the subwoofer and the front speakers.

To enjoy natural bass sound, keep the subwoofer volume at a level where it is barely distinguishable from other
speakers.

Note

It is recommended to set the VOLUME control about in the middle position when using in a multi channel home
theater system.

4 En

ADVANCED YAMAHA ACTIVE SERVO TECHNOLOGY II

High-amplitude

bass sound

Port

Cabinet

Advanced impedance

Converter

Active
Servo

Processing

Amplifier

Signals of low amplitude

Air woofer

(Helmholtz resonator)

Signals

Conventional Port

Air turbulence on both ends of the port creates noise

Air turbulence is
produced.

Turbulence is
diffused, air flow
becomes smooth.

Twisted Flare Port

In 1988, Yamaha brought to the marketplace speaker systems utilizing YST (Yamaha Active Servo Technology) to give
powerful, high quality bass reproduction. This technique uses a direct connection between the amplifier and speaker,
allowing accurate signal transmission and precise speaker control.

As this technology uses speaker units controlled by
the negative impedance drive of the amplifier and
resonance generated between the speaker cabinet
volume and port, it creates more resonant energy
(the “air woofer” concept) than the standard bass
reflex method. This allows for bass reproduction
from much smaller cabinets than was previously
possible.

Yamaha’s newly developed Advanced YST II adds
many refinements to Yamaha Active Servo
Technology, allowing better control of the forces
driving the amplifier and speaker. From the
amplifier’s point of view, the speaker impedance
changes depending on the sound frequency. Yamaha
developed a new circuit design combining negative­impedance and constant-current drives, which
provides a more stable performance and clear bass
reproduction, without any murkiness.

English

Today’s bass reflex speakers use a Helmholtz resonator to improve their
bass reproduction.
However when reproducing bass that is in the frequency region of this
Helmholtz resonator, air moves violently in and out through the port
between the interior and exterior of the speaker, sometimes producing
noise due to the turbulent air flow at the end of the port.

The port and the cabinet resonate at a frequency that is determined by their
dimensions and shape. On the other hand, turbulence in the air flow at the
end of the port contains a broad range of frequency components that are not
present in the input signal. This noise occurs because the broad range of
frequency components includes components that match the resonant
frequencies of the port and cabinet, causing strong resonance.

The Twisted Flare Port developed by Yamaha changes the
way in which the port widens toward its end, and also adds
a “twist” to suppress airflow turbulence at each end of the
port and thus prevent noise from occurring.
This eliminates the “muddy sound” and “wind noise” that
until now have been characteristic of bass reflex speakers,
allowing bass to be reproduced clearly.

TWISTED FLARE PORT

5 En

TROUBLESHOOTING

Refer to the chart below if this unit does not function properly.
If the instructions given below do not help, or if the problem you are experiencing is not listed below, turn off the power

to the unit, disconnect the power cord and contact an authorized Yamaha dealer or service center.

Problem Cause What to Do

Power is not supplied even though the
POWER switch is set to the ON
position.

No sound. The volume is set to minimum. Raise the volume up.

The sound is interrupted. The volume is too loud. Since the output is excessive, reduce the

Sound level is too low. A source sound with little bass

The power plug is not securely
connected.

Connections are faulty (or the
connections are incomplete).

frequency content is being played.

It is influenced by standing waves. Reposition the subwoofer or break up

Connect it securely.

Connect them securely.

volume level.

Play a source sound with bass
frequencies.

parallel surfaces by placing bookshelves,
etc., along the walls.

6 En