f110 Owner’s Manual
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user 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.
12) Cleaning — The subwoofer should be cleaned only as recommended in the operating instructions. 13) Nonuse Periods — The power cord of the subwoofer should be unplugged from the outlet when the subwoofer is left unused for long periods of time. 14) Lightning and Power Surges — We recommend that you disconnect the subwoofer from the electrical outlet during electrical storms and/or recurring power interruptions to prevent damage due to power surges.
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT NOTE: Th is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. Th is equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
We sincerely thank you for your purchase and invite you to read this manual thoroughly in order to achieve the highest level of performance with your Fathom subwoofer system. Enjoy. PRODUCT OVERVIEW JL Audio Fathom subwoofers combine a state-of-the-art JL Audio subwoofer driver and electronics/amplifier package within a highly optimized enclosure to deliver an exceptional listening experience in your home theater or home audio system.
PLACING YOUR FATHOM IN YOUR LISTENING ROOM: Your listening room or theater is an integral part of your sound reproduction system. The physical dimensions of the room and its furnishings, materials, doors and windows play an important role in defining how your system sounds. When you place a sound source in an enclosed rectangular space, “standing waves” are created, resulting from the relationship between the sound’s wavelength and your room’s dimensions.
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SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR BUILT-IN INSTALLATIONS Fathom subwoofers are designed to be “built-in” friendly. All typically needed controls are located on the front panel above the woofer. A Fathom can be easily integrated into custom cabinetry by following a few simple guidelines. 1) Allow 4 inches (10 cm) of clear space behind the Fathom’s amp panel for adequate cooling and connector clearance. 2) On all other sides (except the bottom), allow at least 2 inches (5 cm) clearance for adequate ventilation.
Using Two Fathoms When using two Fathoms, try placement near the front corners of the room, at diagonally-opposite corners of the room, or at the center points of opposing walls as shown at right. Experimentation with subwoofer and listener placement is recommended to achieve the best results – the benefits can be substantial. High-resolution measurements and professional system calibration are recommended for the best possible results & system performance.
Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Three Fathoms Using Three or Four Fathoms Research indicates that the smoothest bass response for a large listening area can be achieved using four subwoofers, placing one at the midpoint of each of the four walls (although using two or three subwoofers can be almost as good). Experimentation with subwoofer and listener placement is recommended to achieve the best results – the benefits can be substantial.
UNPACKING YOUR FATHOM Now that you have determined your Fathom’s position in the room, you can proceed with unpacking it near its intended location. D Unpack this box close to where the subwoofer will be placed. The subwoofer is PACKED upside down.This box must be flipped over CAREFULLY to remove the subwoofer and minimize effort. IMPORTANT C A B IMPORTANT: DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE FATHOM SUBWOOFER, PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION WHILE UNPACKING AND POSITIONING IT TO PREVENT INJURY.
Front Control Panel The labeled Figure below depicts the front control panel of a Fathom f110 subwoofer. A.R.O. page 14-15 Power page 14 Page 12 Level Mode page 15 Input Mode page 15 Lights page 16 Master Level page 16 LP freq. (Hz) page 16 LP Filter page 16 phase (deg.) page 17 e.l.f.
Rear Controls and Connectors The labeled Figure below depicts the rear panel of a Fathom f110 subwoofer. Output to Slave Connector page 21 IEC-Style AC Connector page 21 Balanced Inputs page 18 Unbalanced Inputs page 19 Input Mode Switches page 20 This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules.
FRONT PANEL CONTROLS IN DETAIL Power Switch The “Power” switch determines the operational readiness of the Fathom subwoofer and should be the only switch used to turn the Fathom on and off. Do not use a power strip switch, switched outlet or any other external switch as these may result in undesirable and potentially damaging transient pops. Do not unplug the Fathom’s AC power cord while the unit is turned on. The power switch has three positions: “On”: The Fathom is fully powered at all times.
showcasing the output capability of the Fathom and to verify that the Fathom (or multiple Fathoms) are operational during system troubleshooting. The Demo button is also used (in combination) to clear (return to flat) the A.R.O. equalizer settings. To clear the A.R.O.’s settings & turn off the Calibrate light, press and hold the Demo button and then press the Defeat button. Please note that you must perform this button sequence quickly.
Master Level Knob The Master Level Knob is used to control the output level of the Fathom when the Variable Level mode is selected on the front control panel. When rotated fully counter clockwise, the Fathom’s output will be fully muted. When at the “0” or straight up position, the Variable gain level matches the Reference level setting. When turned fully clockwise, the Fathom’s output level is 15 dB higher than the Reference setting.
E.L.F. Trim The Extreme Low Frequency (“e.l.f. trim”) knob allows the user to apply a certain amount of signal equalization at 28 Hertz (extremely low bass). At full counterclockwise rotation, the signal at 28 Hz is cut by 12 dB. At “0” the equalizer is set flat for zero contribution to the signal. At full clockwise rotation, the signal at 28 Hz is boosted by 3 dB. The E.L.F. Trim feature is useful for tailoring the Fathom’s very low frequency output for your particular room.
CONNECTING YOUR FATHOM Balanced Inputs If your home-theater receiver or preamplifier/processor provides balanced outputs, the Fathom’s balanced inputs are the preferred connection. Balanced connections are used extensively in professional studios and sound reinforcement applications for a number of very good reasons.
Unbalanced Inputs The Fathom subwoofer features individual left and right unbalanced RCAtype input connectors. These are the most commonly used connectors for home audio applications and must be used if your receiver or preamplifier/processor does not provide balanced outputs. While unbalanced connections are not as noise-immune as a balanced connection, Fathom subwoofers employ optical isolation on the unbalanced inputs to minimize the possibility of noise in your system.
Input Mode Switches: Two switches are located on the rear panel to control unbalanced signal grounding and master/slave operation. “Grounded / Isolated” Switch The “Grounded / Isolated” Input Mode switch affects only the unbalanced RCA inputs and is designed to facilitate a quiet, hum-free connection to your audio or home theater system.
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT: PLEASE REFER TO THE “SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAMS” ON PAGES 26-29 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON USING THE INPUT / OUTPUT CONNECTIONS. “Output to Slave” Connector If you are operating more than one Fathom subwoofer in one home theater system, you will designate one Fathom as the Master (see page 20), and then feed signal from it to the remaining “Slave” Fathoms via this balanced XLR output. The “Output to Slave” cable can be connected to the “Left or Mono” balanced XLR input on the next Fathom.
PROCESSOR (BALANCED OUTPUTS) RECEIVER / PROCESSOR (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS) PRE OUT FRONT L REAR CENTER OUTPUTS OR FRONT R REAR SUB es with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is owing two conditions: (1) this device may not rference, and (2) this device must accept any ved, including interference that may cause n.
SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 2: Multiple Fathoms to Home Theater Receiver or Home Theater Preamp/Processor To greatly simplify using multiple subwoofers in a single home theater system, Fathoms incorporate a “Master/Slave” signal distribution system. This allows control of all the Fathoms in a system from a single “Master” unit. First, you will select one of the Fathom subwoofers as the “Master” via its upper “Input Mode” switch.
STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (BALANCED OUTPUTS) STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS) LOW OUT (SUB OUT) LOW OUT (SUB OUT) LEFT RIGHT OR es with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is owing two conditions: (1) this device may not rference, and (2) this device must accept any ved, including interference that may cause n.
SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 4: Two Fathoms in Stereo to Two-Channel Audio System When connecting two Fathoms in stereo to a two-channel audio system you will only use the “Left or Mono” inputs of each Fathom. The upper “Input Mode” switch on each Fathom will be set in the “Master” position. We strongly recommend that you use a high-quality active crossover to divide your preamplifier’s signals prior to connection to the Fathom and to the amplifier driving your main speakers.
RECOMMENDED SETUP PROCEDURES 1) Preparation for Setup Process: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 2) Level Setting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 3) Polarity/Phase Adjustment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 4) Experiment with Location: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On the Fathom’s Front Panel: Please turn off the home theater receiver or preamp/processor to make these adjustm ents. 1. “Power” Switch Flip each Fathom’s “Power” switch to the “On” position. 2. “Lights” Switch Flip each Fathom’s “Lights” switch to the “On” position. If you don’t see any lights on the front panel, you may have forgotten to plug the Fathom in or there may be a problem with the electrical circuit. 3.
RECOMMENDED SETUP PROCEDURES (continued) Subwoofer System Setup: Once you have set the controls on your home theater receiver or preamp/ processor and on your Fathom(s) to the settings recommended on pages 26 and 27, you are ready to begin setting up your Fathom for optimum performance. 1) Level Setting Using familiar music or movie material with deep bass content, adjust the subwoofer level to blend with the other speakers using your receiver or preamp / processor’s subwoofer level control.
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE THE ROOM IS QUIET DURING A.R.O. CALIBRATION! TURN OFF ANY NOISY APPLIANCES NEAR THE LISTENING ROOM (DISHWASHERS, WASHING MACHINES, ETC.) IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO TURN OFF AIR CONDITIONERS OR HEAT PUMPS DURING CALIBRATION. THESE FORCED-AIR-TYPE HVAC SYSTEMS CAN CREATE MODERATE LEVELS OF 15 – 20 HZ NOISE THAT MAY INTERFERE WITH CALIBRATION. 4) Applying Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.
Should you wish to run a new calibration, simply repeat the steps above. To clear the A.R.O.’s settings (i.e., return them to flat) & turn off the Calibrate light, press and hold the Demo button and then press the Defeat button. Please note that you must perform this button sequence quickly. If you hold the Demo button for more than 2 seconds without touching the Defeat button, the Demo tones will start. Should this happen, simply wait for the Demo sequence to end and try again.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Can I place objects on my subwoofer? We do not recommend placing any items on the subwoofer cabinet as they may vibrate, causing undesirable noise and possible damage to the finish. Under no circumstances should any object containing liquid be placed on the Fathom cabinet. Is the Fathom magnetically shielded? Fathom subwoofers are not magnetically shielded. To avoid magnetic distortion with certain television types, place the Fathom at least 3-4 feet (1 - 1.5m) from your screen.
CLEANING YOUR FATHOM Dust your Fathom subwoofer’s cabinet using a clean, soft microfiber cloth or feather duster. Microfiber cloths are commonly available where automotive detailing supplies are sold. Gloss-black models: Light smudges can generally be wiped off with a clean microfiber cloth. For more stubborn smudges, polish and protect the finish using a high-quality automotive wax and a microfiber cloth, both available wherever automotive detailing supplies are sold.
TROUBLESHOOTING No sound from subwoofer. 1. Verify that Fathom is plugged in, turned “ON” & that front panel lights are “ON”. If the Fathom will not power up, check the circuit breaker that feeds its outlet. 2. Test subwoofer using DEMO button on front panel – if sub emits demo tones the subwoofer’s internal circuitry is fine and an input problem is likely. Check the input cable connections at the Fathom and at the receiver/preamp/processor. 3.
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LIMITED WARRANTY / SERVICE INFORMATION JL AUDIO warrants this product to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three (3) years from the original date of purchase. Damage caused by the following is not covered under warranty: accident, misuse, abuse, product modification or neglect, failure to follow installation instructions, unauthorized repair attempts, misrepresentations by the seller.
FEATURES Unbalanced Inputs: Stereo or Mono (two RCA jacks) Balanced Inputs: Stereo or Mono (two female XLR jacks) Output To Slave: Balanced (one male XLR jack) Input Modes: Master or Slave Level Modes: Reference (fi xed gain) or Variable from full mute to +15dB over reference gain Power Modes: Off, On or Automatic Signal-Sensing Light Modes: Off, On or Dim Low Pass Filter Mode: Off, 12 dB per octave or 24 dB per octave H Low Pass Filter Cutoff Frequency: Variable from 30 Hz – 130 Hz Polarity: 0 or 180 deg
