Owners manual

Introduction
Congratulations on choosing the AEGIS Compact Sub a powerful, active subwoofer loudspeaker which is capable of outstanding Hi-Fi and Home Cinema performance. Please take a few moments to read this manual. The advice it contains will enable you to get the very best performance out of your Acoustic Energy loudspeaker. The AEGIS Compact Sub is capable of handling 150 watts RMS with a clean bass response extending to 25Hz in the listening environment. Flexibility in its operation and connection mean the AEGIS Compact Sub will compliment a wide range of high quality hi-fi and home theatre systems. Correctly installed the sense of power and weight of its bass output can add substantially to the enjoyment of high quality music and prove indispensable for thrilling and realistic home theatre sound. Before applying power The AEGIS Compact Sub is available in two mains power versions to enable this product to be used globally, one to operate from 220240V AC line mains power and one from 110120V AC line mains power. Please ensure you have the correct version that relates to your countrys mains power before use. NOTES: Our warranty does not cover damage caused by using the incorrect version relative to the mains power supplied. The grille is designed to protect the bass unit from possible damage and should not be removed.

Safety

Please read all operating and safety instructions before use retaining them for future reference. Adhere to all warnings on the product or in this manual. Power sources the subwoofer should be connected only to a power supply of the type described on its rear panel. If you are not sure consult your dealer or a qualified electrician. Power cord Power supply cords should be routed so as not to be walked on or caught under or against items. Ventilation To ensure reliable operation and to prevent the subwoofer from overheating ensure good ventilation. Do not cover the subwoofer and do not place it closer than 10cm from walls or soft furnishings. Do not use in a built-in installation unless proper ventilation is provided. Consult your dealer. Water and moisture The subwoofer should not be used near water, i.e near a wash-bowl, basin, in a wet basement or swimming pool area. Temperature The subwoofer may not function correctly at extremely low or freezing temperatures. The subwoofer should also be sited away from heat sources such as radiators or other electrical equipment that produces heat, including other amplifiers. Electric shock Care should be taken so that objects are not inserted into connectors or other apertures and that liquid does not spill into the enclosure. Do not insert objects into the reflex port. Never attempt to dismantle the subwoofer as serious electric shock might occur if the internal parts are touched. Cleaning Unplug the subwoofer from the wall power outlet before cleaning. Use only a clean, dry cloth. Do not use cleaners, liquids or solvent based preparations to clean the cabinet. Smells If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected, immediately turn the power Off and unplug the subwoofer from the wall power outlet.

Operation

1. POWER SWITCH Switches the power ON and OFF. By switching to AUTO the power is automatically switched ON when a signal is applied to an input. 2. POWER INDICATOR LIGHT This indicator lights green when the power is switched ON, and lights red when in STANDBY mode. 3. POWER CORD SOCKET Connect the cord supplied to a 110120V or 220240V AC mains power outlet. 4. CROSSOVER FREQUENCY KNOB Adjusts the balance at the crossover point between the bass (low frequencies) from the AEGIS Compact Sub and the treble (high frequencies) continuing to the main stereo front speakers. 5. SUB LEVEL VOLUME CONTROL KNOB Adjusts the volume level output of the subwoofer, allowing you to balance the volume of the AEGIS Compact Sub to blend in with your main stereo speakers. Turning the knob clockwise increases the volume level, and turning the knob counterclockwise decreases the level. 6. PHASE SWITCH The normal setting for the phase switch is the 0 position. Switching to 180 will change the subwoofer phase and vary the tonal quality of the bass, which is also dependant on the location of the AEGIS Compact Sub relative to your main stereo speakers. 7. LINE IN JACKS (RCA-type pin-plug) Used to connect the subwoofer to the PRE-OUT jacks of the amplifier. 8. LINE OUT JACKS (RCA-type pin-plug) Used to connect back to the power amp inputs on your amplifier. 9. FROM AMPLIFIER HI-LEVEL SPEAKER IN TERMINALS Used to connect the FRONT SPEAKER terminals of the amplifier to this unit. 10. TO SPEAKER HI-LEVEL SPEAKER OUT TERMINALS Used to connect the front speakers with this unit, via the 75 Hz 1st-order crossover.

Rear elevation

150W ACTIVE SUBWOOFER
HI LEVEL SPEAKER OUT HI LEVEL SPEAKER IN L

R LINE IN

MIN MAX 50

LINE OUT

POWER INPUT 230240V ~AC 50/60Hz 150W FUSE T1.0A 250V

SUB LEVEL

CROSSOVER FREQUENCY (Hz)

Off Auto

Designed and engineered by Acoustic Energy Limited, England

POWER SERIAL NO:

CAUTION
Risk of electrical shock Do not open

ATTENTION

Risque de choc electrique Ne pas ouver
No user serviceable parts inside. Consult owner's manual before use. Operate in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. If in doubt refer to qualified service personnel.

Positioning

The AEGIS Compact Subwoofer is virtually omni-directional, so it can be positioned in almost any location in the room. For the best performance in the ideal room the AEGIS Compact Sub should be positioned in a corner of the room or near a back wall. In certain circumstances the addition of a second AEGIS Compact Sub located in another position in the room helps to achieve a more uniform bass. The use of two subwoofers often provides a greater than expected increase in sound quality and bass dynamics, worth more than the additional cost would suggest. If two AEGIS Compact Subwoofers are used they should ideally be positioned in the corners near the respective units of the stereo loudspeaker pair. This subwoofer may be installed using the four rubber feet or spikes with lock nuts, both supplied. Alternatively it may be placed directly onto the floor. When positioned correctly ensure space is left to the rear of the AEGIS Compact Sub since all operation switches are on the rear panel.

AMPLIFIER

CD TUNER TAPE IN TAPE OUT PRE OUT MAIN IN SUB OUT

Connections

Check that both your amplifier and subwoofer are switched off before connection. Failure to do so may result in speaker or amplifier damage. It is sometimes recommended that over-long low cost cables are used initially to facilitate experimentation with positioning, and only then purchase and install using the final cable choice. (For best results we would recommend our own AESC-C3 high performance speaker cable with any Acoustic Energy loudspeaker.) 1. For use with amplifiers having a Subwoofer Out jack Connect from the dedicated subwoofer line output on the amplifier to the line input(s) on the AEGIS Compact Sub. (A single lead to either input or a Y connector to both inputs may be used). The stereo speakers are run direct for higher definition.

L LOUDSPEAKERS R

150W ACTIVE COMPACT SUBWOOFER

LEFT SPEAKER

RIGHT SPEAKER
CD TUNER TAPE IN TAPE OUT PRE OUT MAIN IN L

LOUDSPEAKERS

2. For use with amplifiers having Line level pre-amp jacks The pre-amp outputs of your amplifier can be connected to the line level inputs on the AEGIS Compact Sub. The line level outputs on the AEGIS Compact Sub are then connected back to the power amp (main) inputs on your amplifier. This provides the greatest power handling for the stereo speakers.

HI LEVEL SPEAKER OUT HI LEVEL SPEAKER IN

40 MIN MAX

CD TUNER TAPE IN TAPE OUT L
3. For use with amplifiers not having either a Subwoofer Out jack or Line level pre-amp jacks Using speaker cable from the speaker terminals on your amplifier, connect to the Hi-level speaker input terminals on the AEGIS Compact Sub, and then a further set of cables from the Hilevel output terminals to your main stereo/satellite speakers. (The stereo speakers receive the original amplified signal minus the frequencies used by the subwoofer). This provides greatest power handling for the system with good overall performance.
HI LEVEL SPEAKER OUT HI LEVEL SPEAKER IN L OUTPUT (VARIABLE) R VIDEO R LINE IN

TELEVISION

OUTPUT (FIXED)
OPTION: 5. For use with two AEGIS Compact Subwoofers Using parallel speaker cables from the speaker terminals on your amplifier connect to the High Level speaker inputs on the corresponding left/right AEGIS Compact Subwoofers.

40 MIN MAX 100

The diagrams show only the most common applications of the AEGIS Compact Sub and the associated wiring for each. Specific needs will vary and these diagrams should act as a guide only.
4. For use with televisions with a variable audio output (diagram above) Some of the latest televisions are equipped with variable audio outputs. These can be connected directly to the Line level inputs on the AEGIS Compact Sub to enhance the bass response of the televisions built-in speaker.

LEFT SUBWOOFER

RIGHT SUBWOOFER

How to use the controls

How to use the SUB VOLUME CONTROL knob, CROSSOVER FREQUENCY knob and PHASE switch The VOLUME CONTROL, FREQUENCY knob and PHASE switch can be adjusted to match the condition of the listening room and/or the characteristics of the left and right front speakers. Due to the positioning of the subwoofer in the room and the associated room boundaries, the available bass response from the existing speakers and whether or not the filtered connection (nominally 100Hz is used), the actual settings used on the subwoofer control panel will vary considerably. The SUB VOLUME CONTROL and the CROSSOVER FREQUENCY knobs should be used together when setting the correct bass response required. For ample, raising the volume level will also raise the effective system crossover point, while reducing the volume has the converse effect of lowering the frequency range of the subwoofer. This is caused by the way the various responses and outputs blend together in the listening environment. Initially set the crossover frequency fairly low, e.g Hz, and use the volume control knob on the sub to set the low bass level required. When the correct balance is almost achieved, the crossover level, volume level and phase setting may be adjusted together to fine tune the sound and achieve the cleanest, most extended and suitably powerful bass. The ideal is for a seamless blend of extended low bass from the subwoofer leaving the clean upper bass response of the stereo system largely undisturbed. Typical Control Positions FRONT SPEAKER Large speaker Medium speaker Small speaker CROSSOVER Hz Hz Hz PHASE Normal 0 Normal 0 Normal 0 SUB LEVEL

CAUTION An excessive input level to the subwoofer may impair the sound quality or damage the unit. Do not increase the output of the amplifier to a high level while the low-frequency level is enhanced by the amplifiers tone control or loudness control.

Specifications

Power amplifier Drive unit S/N ratio Power handling Crossover frequency range Connections Cabinet 150 watts rms into 8 ohms One front facing 220 mm pulp cone bass unit >75 dB 150 watts programme rating 35 Hz 100 Hz active/passive Line level gold-plated RCA phono jacks 5-way binding posts Precision engineered, low resonance 25 mm/36 mm MDF throughout, with front-facing drive unit in a sealed enclosure Black Ash vinyl Precision engineered, protective grille (non-removeable) 15 kg 380x360x310 mm
Cabinet finish Grille Weight (excl. packaging) Dimensions (WxHxD)
SUMMARY OF FEATURES Auto on/off Gold-plated RCA phono jacks 5-way binding posts Line input and high level input capability High pass line level output High level speaker output Phase control switch Variable crossover frequency Volume level control Thermal output protection circuit included.

Warranty

Your Acoustic Energy loudspeaker is guaranteed against original defects in materials, manufacture and workmanship for 3 years from the date of purchase. Please retain all original packaging materials for possible future use. Under this warranty Acoustic Energy agrees to repair any defect or, at the companys discretion, replace the faulty component(s) without charge for parts and labour. This warranty does not imply any acceptance by Acoustic Energy or its agents for consequential loss or damage and specifically excludes fair wear and tear, accident, misuse or unauthorised modification. This warranty is applicable in the United Kingdom only and does not in any way limit the customers legal rights. Claims and enquiries under the warranty for AE products purchased outside the UK should be addressed to the local importers or distributors. If you have reason to claim under the warranty please contact your dealer in the first instance. Please fill in this form to keep for your records. If you ever need to return the product to Acoustic Energy then please do so through your dealer along with a copy of this completed form. Your name Your address Your phone number Dealer name Dealer address Date of purchase Aegis Evo one Aegis Evo Three Aegis Evo Centre Cabinet colour Serial number/s Dealer stamp
Acoustic Energy Limited 16 Bridge Road, Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1NJ Tel +44(0)Fax +44(0)Web www.acoutic-energy.co.uk

Owners manual

Introduction
Congratulations on choosing the Acoustic Energy AEGIS EVOLUTION Series a range of powerful loudspeakers which feature metal diaphragm technology and are capable of outstanding performance. Please take a few moments to read this manual. The advice it contains will enable you to get the very best performance out of your Acoustic Energy loudspeakers. The AEGIS EVOLUTION speakers utilise metal cone bass and mid-bass drive unit technology, proven in the AE Reference series. The ultra rigid ceramic layered alloy cones ensure pure piston action and also acts as a heat sink for the bonded voice coil. These features provide exceptional clarity, transparency, dynamics and power handling. The tweeters, or treble drivers, employ a highquality silk dome unit, built on a metal chassis, integrating smoothly with the rest of the system. All drive units are fully magnetically shielded so that the speakers can be used in close proximity to a TV screen or monitor for AV applications. The AEGIS EVOLUTION loudspeakers use quality OFC internal wiring, which enhances detail and transparency, and may be bi wired as desired.

Positioning

Experiment with the best placement in the room to achieve a full, yet clean bass response, a natural sounding mid range and a balanced spacious stereo image. Trust your judgement and ears. For best stereo imaging the speakers should be about as far apart as they are from the listening position. The speakers should be equally distant from the listener[s] and should not be too close to large items of furniture which may cause sound reflections. Ideally they should be about 1m from the side walls and about 0.7m from the wall behind. The spacing of the listening seat to the back wall may be quite critical for a smooth deep bass. Aegis Evo One The AEGIS EVO ONE is best heard with the tweeters at, or just above, ear height when the listener is seated. For serious listening the grilles are best removed when the greatest clarity results. Rigid support is essential for the speaker to develop its full detail and dynamic performance. Good quality metal stands fitted with spikes, cones or other methods of firm mounting are recommended. Stand mounting, placed as recommended gives best stereo separation and depth. If AEGIS EVO ONEs are shelf mounted, the support must be firm; cones, or felt pads are recommended beneath the cabinets to reduce vibration coupling to the support. Good quality wall brackets may be used, designed for speakers of this size and weight. If wall mounted keep 1.5m from the side walls and angle the speaker towards the listener area if possible; note that a corner position is the poorest sounding for any speaker even if it is the loudest. AE can supply damping plugs for the rear port to moderate the bass on request.
Aegis Evo Three Please unpack your AEGIS EVO THREE carefully on a carpet or similar surface. Locate the plinths and fittings and, having carefully inverted the speaker, screw the plinth to the base of the cabinet using the screws and pilot holes provided. Please ensure that you have firmly screwed the plinth to the cabinet, failure to do this will degrade performance. There is a mass-loading compartment at the bottom of the cabinet. You may choose to fill it with washed, fully dried non salt contaminated sand, or suitable metal chips, via the hole at the back. A plastic bung is provided to seal the cabinet. Mass loading will significantly improve the performance of the speaker. If you decide not to mass-load the speakers, we still recommend fitting the plastic bung to avoid unwanted resonance. Be aware that the plastic bung has not been designed to be removable after insertion. You may wish to use a temporary removable plug until you have made your decision High tensile 8mm floor spikes and lock nuts are provided for use with the plinth. This guarantees optimum coupling to the floor particularly in rooms fitted with carpet. The spikes penetrate the carpet and couple the speaker firmly to the floor structure below. The spikes (with lock nut screwed down to the knurled part of the spike) should be fitted to the threaded insert in the underside of the plinth while the speaker is still inverted. The speaker is now ready for installation. Any final adjustment of spikes to eliminate cabinet wobble can now be made using a spirit level if required. The lock nuts should be firmly tightened when the final adjustments to cabinet position and alignment have been made and there is no rocking. Closeness to room boundaries has a major impact on the low frequency performance. The speakers should be kept away from corners (which will produce bass booming) and they should be 0.6 m from the back walls, and a greater distance e.g. 1m from the side walls. Aegis Evo Centre Position the AEGIS EVO CENTRE either immediately above or below the television screen, whichever places the speaker nearest ear level when listening. Line the front of the speaker approximately in line with the plane of the screen. Fix the four self-adhesive foam-rubber feet to the base of the speaker to protect both the surface on which the speaker stands and the underside of the speaker. The feet also absorb vibration, which is especially important if placing the speaker directly onto a thin television cabinet. If placement is on top of the television, be aware that the flat surface depth may be limited, so ensure the feet are placed accordingly. When fine-tuning the Aegis EVO system, adjust the levels of the left, centre and right channel speakers to give an even movement as sound images pan across the screen. Most Home Theatre systems also include calibration sounds to help set the right balance for the three front channels. The EVO Centre may also be used as high powered surround channel speakers, mounted vertically, since their particular vocal precision tuning also suits them for boundary placement on a wall.

Check that your amplifier is switched off before installing your loudspeakers. Failure to do so may result in speaker or amplifier damage if the amplifier is energised and delivering any power. The diagrams illustrate the connection for one loudspeaker only.

Connections

Conventional [or single wire] connection Normal passive wiring requires the supplied shorting links to be in place between the high and low frequency sections. The positive (ribbed) cable from the amplifier positive (or red) terminal should connect with the positive (red) terminal on the loudspeaker. Similarly the negative (smooth) cable should connect the amplifier negative terminal (black) to the negative terminal (black) on the loudspeaker.
to the LF section. Note that two cable terminations are connected to each terminal of the amplifier, which may seem surprising for the inexperienced user. As usual the positive (ribbed) cables from the amplifier positive (or red) terminal should connect with the positive (red) terminals on the loudspeaker. Similarly the negative (smooth) cables in each pair should connect the amplifier negative terminal (black) to the negative terminals (black) on the loudspeaker. If these are not correct the sound may be degraded and the stereo image will be defocused. Bi-Amping Bi-amping adds a second, stereo power amplifier to the system. One stereo amplifier drives the high frequency section of both loudspeakers; the second drives the low frequency sections. Follow the amplifier instructions for joining the low level signal connections Safety Note: For bi-amping the shorting links must be removed. Failure to do so will likely result in damage to your amplifiers. Connection for bi-amping is achieved in much the same way as bi-wiring. The terminal (red, positive) of the chosen treble or high frequency amplifier should be connected via the ribbed and /or colour coded cable to the positive (red) HF terminal on the speaker. Similarly, the treble amplifier negative terminal is connected to the negative (black) HF terminal on the speaker via the cable. Repeat this process with the bass amplifier and LF terminal pair. After wiring up; begin at very low volume, switch on the amplifier, select a working signal source and then raise the volume to a moderate listening level, checking that all the drivers in both speakers are working , that there is no roughness or distortion, and that when the channel balance control is panned from left to right the sound image moves correctly with the control action. If all is ok then select your chosen volume and enjoy the often remarkable advance in sound quality and clarity which results from Bi-Amping.

RIGHT SPEAKER

RETAIN LINKS FOR FUTURE USE

AMPLIFIER

MAIN R L R L
Bi-Wiring Bi-wiring separates the bass and treble paths and generally offers sound quality advantages particularly with moderate cost cable. An extra set or alternatively bi- wire type of cable is required. Important Note; to be effective, the shorting links must be removed for the connection between the high and low frequency sections on the back of the speaker and should be stored for possible, later single wire use. The two pairs of cables are connected in parallel to the amplifier terminals. At the speaker, one cable of each pair should connect to the HF section and one

Specifications

Treble Unit: 25 mm silk fabric dome. Anti-reflection pole. Ferro fluid cooled and damped. Magnetically shielded. Metal chassis 120 mm pressed-steel chassis. Pressed alloy cone with 32mm thermally bonded voice coil. High-power longthrow magnet system. Magnetically shielded. 160 mm die-cast chassis. Alloy cone, with 25 mm coil, high power, long throw magnet system. Magnetically shielded. [Aegis EVO Three ] 15mm MDF enclosure. Low diffraction front baffle. Highpower, gas-flowed, low-turbulence bass reflex porting. Gold-plated, bi-wire , binding posts.
Aegis Evo One Treble Unit Mid/Bass Unit Bass Unit Power Handling Crossover Frequency response 3dB Frequency response - 6dB Sensitivity Impedance Cabinet Watt max. 3.3kHz 3rd order 50Hz 20kHz 38Hz 22kHz 89dB / 1W / 1M 8 Ohm 25mm front baffle Full internal bracing 7kg each 192 x 362 x 235 mm Aegis Evo Three Watt max. 3.5kHz 3rd, 330Hz 2nd order 40Hz 20kHz 36Hz 22kHz 90.5dB / 1W / 1M 8 Ohm 25mm front baffle Full internal bracing Double enclosure 16kg each 192 x 880 x 220 mm Aegis Evo Centre Watt max. 3.1kHz 3rd, 275Hz 2nd order 60Hz 20kHz 50Hz 22kHz 91.5dB / 1W / 1M 8 Ohm 21mm front baffle Lateral wave absorber 7kg 460 x 172 x 192 mm

Warranty

Your Acoustic Energy loudspeakers are guaranteed against original defects in materials, manufacture and workmanship for 3 years from the date of purchase. Please retain all original packaging materials for possible future use. We suggest that you complete details of purchase now and keep this information in a safe place for future reference. Under this warranty Acoustic Energy agrees to repair any defect or, at the companys discretion, replace the faulty component(s) without charge for parts and labour. This warranty does not imply any acceptance by Acoustic Energy or its agents for consequential loss or damage and specifically excludes fair wear and tear, accident, misuse or unauthorised modification. This warranty is applicable in the United Kingdom only and does not in any way limit the customers legal rights. Claims and enquiries under the warranty for AE products purchased outside the UK should be addressed to the local importers or distributors. If you have reason to claim under the warranty please contact your dealer in the first instance.