Powered Bi-Amplified Monitors Contents Introduction.................................................................. 3 About This Manual......................................................... 4 Features....................................................................... 5 Unpacking.................................................................... 6 The Emotiva Powered Monitor.......................... 7 Quick Start...................................................................
Emotiva Pro and Airmotiv are registered trademarks of Emotiva Professional Systems, LLC. Emotiva and the “E” are registered trademarks of Emotiva Audio Corporation.
Introduction Thank you for purchasing your new Emotiva Pro monitors. bi-amplified powered studio The powerful internal monolithic amplifiers, coupled with our advanced input processing circuitry, deliver exceptional performance and stunning sound quality from a very compact system. The airmotiv high-frequency transducer produces crystal clear highs with vanishingly low distortion, excellent detail, and impressive dynamics. The 4.
About This Manual This manual will provide you with all the information you need to get great performance, accurate sound, and many years of reliable service from your Emotiva airmotiv powered studio monitors. Many of you are experienced studio professionals and are very familiar with powered near-field monitors. Since the airmotiv is intended for several different applications, you may find that some of the sections of the manual don’t apply to you.
Features Each Emotiva airmotiv4 is a fully self-contained bi-amplified powered studio monitor. The airmotiv is a two-way design that features quality construction and engineering throughout and incorporates discrete power amplifiers, precision active crossovers, effective yet unobtrusive overload protection, and a wide array of professional features. Some of the more important features of the Emotiva airmotiv include: • • • • • • • • • • • Accuracy and consistency.
Unpacking Your Emotiva airmotiv powered studio monitors were carefully packed and should reach you in perfect condition. If you notice any shipping damage or other issues when you unpack them, please contact Emotiva immediately. Gently remove your airmotiv powered studio monitors from the packing carton and remove all wrappings and shipping material.
The Emotiva Powered Monitor Emotiva’s exclusive airmotiv high-frequency transducer Emotiva’s exclusive airmotiv low-frequency transducer Level control and Power/Status indicator Linear taper tuned port High-frequency Equalization adjustment Balanced input (XLR) Low-frequency Equalization adjustment Unbalanced input (RCA) AC Power switch IEC power cable receptacle with integral fuse holder Page 7
Quick Start To get the most from your Emotiva airmotiv powered studio monitors, we strongly urge you to read the entire manual. If you just can’t wait to hear how great your airmotiv powered studio monitors sound, this section will cover the basics you need to get started. • Find a secure location for your airmotiv powered studio monitors. • Verify that the airmotiv monitors you received use the correct operating voltage for your location (the AC line voltage is marked on the rear panel of each monitor).
About Near-Field Monitors In the past most recording studios used huge monitor loudspeakers, elaborate acoustic treatments, and large power amplifiers, in a large control room. Although a control room like that sounded great (usually), and made a big impression on customers, it also required large investments of space, time, and money.
Speaker Placement Speaker placement is often a compromise between optimum performance, personal preference, and site requirements. The following guidelines will serve as a starting point to help you decide where to place your airmotiv powered studio monitors to achieve the best possible performance. Positioning your near-field monitors monitors as The Emotiva airmotiv was designed primarily as a superlative near-field monitor.
• • • • • If possible, mount your airmotiv monitors upright (with the high-frequency transducer on top), vertically (not angled upwards or downwards), with the middle of the front baffle at approximately the same height as the engineer’s seated head height, and toe in each speaker so the front is directly facing towards the engineer’s head.
Positioning your monitors as stereo speakers The Emotiva airmotiv work beautifully as a full-range speakers in a small audiophile two-channel system, and as a satellite speaker in a larger two-channel system with the addition of a sub-woofer. When choosing optimum locations for speakers in an audiophile home stereo system, the goal is usually to optimize the frequency response and imaging. • Mount your airmotiv speakers on separate stands, or using brackets if possible.
Listener Typical placement of stereo speakers to cover a wide listening area • • • • large reflective or sound-absorbing surfaces on the side walls, try to make them as symmetrical as possible. (If there is a large glass window on one side wall, balance it by hanging a large glass picture on the other, or by covering it with a material which more closely matches the acoustic properties of the opposite wall.
Positioning your monitors as satellite speakers in a multi-channel mastering or surround sound system Emotiva’s airmotiv powered studio monitors work great as satellite speakers in a high-quality multi-channel playback or mastering system. When choosing optimum locations for speakers in a multi-channel system, the goal is to optimize the frequency response and imaging. However, because more speakers are required, you are more likely to encounter practical constraints on where they can be located.
Sub-woofer Display Center Left Front Right Front Right Side Surround Left Side Surround Listener Listener Left Rear Surround Right Rear Surround One example of placement for surround-sound speakers • • • • Place your front-center speaker either directly above or directly below the display.
• • • Because surround speakers carry mostly ambience information and are influenced by the listening room, and because they are also used differently by different surround-sound decoding standards, you should experiment to find the best locations and orientations for your particular installation. We suggest you try them at various angles, and in various orientations (vertical, upside down, and even sideways) to identify the location and orientation that work best with your room.
Connections Note: The level controls on the airmotiv are intended to be left in the calibrated (fully clockwise) position in normal use. Level should be controlled by your source equipment; therefore your airmotiv monitors should always be connected to variable outputs rather than fixed outputs. Connecting your monitors to a studio console Virtually all studio equipment offers balanced outputs, which are the preferred method of connecting your airmotiv powered studio monitors.
Connecting your monitors to a portable player Most portable music players offer only unbalanced outputs, usually via a 1/8” jack. Connect your airmotiv speakers to a variable output (which is often also the headphone output). Use a high quality, well shielded adapter cable to connect the output to the unbalanced (RCA) inputs of your airmotiv speakers. A single “long Y-cable” is preferable to multiple separate adapters and extension cables.
Avoiding Hum and Noise The following guidelines should help you avoid or eliminate hum and noise. These aren’t rules, and may not apply in all situations, but the more closely you follow the guidelines, the more likely you are to avoid hum and noise problems. Hum and noise are most often caused by ground issues such as ground loops, non-optimal cabling or cable placement, or faulty equipment. Hum may also arise due to how equipment is arranged and connected.
Operation Once you have decided upon a location for your airmotiv powered studio monitors and connected them, operation is very simple. • Plug your airmotiv powered studio monitors into a grounded electrical outlet of appropriate voltage. (Verify that your airmotiv powered studio monitors are the correct models for your local AC line voltage. The correct line voltage is shown on the rear panel.
Adjustments The airmotiv powered monitor is calibrated at the factory to ensure that its low-frequency gain, high-frequency gain, and overall gain are within 1 dB of our reference standard. Equalization controls are provided to compensate for various room acoustics and speaker placement issues. In most situations it is strongly recommended that equalization adjustments be applied equally to symmetrical pairs of airmotiv monitors. Failure to do so will adversely affect imaging and soundstage.
Care and Maintenance Periodic Maintenance Your Emotiva airmotiv powered studio monitors are factory calibrated and require no periodic maintenance or calibration. Cleaning the Cabinet and Baffle • • • The cabinet of the airmotiv powered monitor should normally be cleaned with a rag dampened with plain water. DO NOT spray water directly onto or into the monitor, transducers or connectors, and DO NOT use abrasive or chemical cleaners. Gently dry the surface with a clean soft rag after cleaning.
Specifications Frequency Response: 52 Hz to 27 kHz +/- 3 dB Input Connectors: One unbalanced (RCA) One professional balanced (XLR) Driver complement: One 26 x 32 mm airmotiv high-frequency transducer One 115 mm (4.5 inch) airmotiv low-frequency transducer Bass Alignment: Single rear-oriented port with linear taper Amplification: High-frequency amplifier: 25 watts RMS; S/N > 90 dB; THD+N < 0.05% @ 15W, 10 kHz Low-frequency amplifier: 25 watts RMS; S/N > 90 dB; THD+N < 0.
Troubleshooting Emotiva’s airmotiv powered studio monitors are carefully designed and manufactured from high-quality precision components to ensure years of trouble free operation. The troubleshooting section describes some common problems and how to eliminate them. If this doesn’t solve your problem, please contact Emotiva Technical Support, where a real person will be glad to help you get up and running.
Problem: No output at all • • • • Verify that you have power. Check your signal source. Verify that your front panel Level control is not set to its minimum setting. If the front panel power indicator is lit red, but the airmotiv is playing quietly or is silent, then there is a fault with either your signal source or the monitor. Problem: Excessive hum or noise • • • • • • • • • Read the chapter titled Avoiding Hum and Noise in the Connections section of this manual. Check your signal source.
Problem: Low but undistorted sound • • Verify that the Level controls on both (or all) monitors are in their calibrated positions. Check your signal source. Problem: Unbalanced sound or poor imaging • • Verify that the Level controls on both (or all) monitors are in their calibrated positions. Verify that the rear panel equalization controls, which are used to compensate for speaker position and room acoustics, are set in the same position for each monitor.
Warranty All Emotiva products feature a FIVE-YEAR FULLY TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY. Contact Information Emotiva Professional Phone Numbers 615-791-6254 | 855-EMO-PRO1 (855-366-7761) Monday through Friday 8am - 5pm (Central Standard Time) Emotiva email addresses Online sales, product information, and general questions: sales@emotivapro.com Customer service related inquires: customerservice@emotivapro.com Technical support or service issues: support@emotivapro.com Emotiva Professional Web site www.
Accessories Interconnect cables Using high-quality interconnect cables will ensure that you get the best sound quality and maximum reliability from your airmotiv powered studio monitors. It is especially important to select good-quality well-shielded cables if you are using unbalanced cables, or very long cables, or have an especially noisy environment. (We do not, however, recommend or endorse fancy “boutique” audiophile cables.
Safety Instructions The following Safety Instructions will not only serve to protect your personal safety, but will also help to ensure a long and trouble-free service life for your airmotiv powered studio monitors.
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