User Guide

this material will sound in its intended playback space. These issues include reproducing up to 5 or more channels of full range audio,
plus an optional Low Frequency Effects channel (LFE), all of which have a bandwidth to 10Hz or below, with very high dynamic range,
and achieving consistent bass response from all the channels throughout the control room monitoring area.
Due to unavoidable room modes, five or more correctly placed full range speakers, (in even the most perfectly designed studio)
will produce dramatically different low frequency characteristics at the mix position. This is especially true for the very crucial center
channel speaker. Variations of 10 to 20 dB may be measured at frequencies below 80 Hz.
When the bass from all the channels is redirected into a single, PROPERLY placed subwoofer, then each and all of the
multiple channels exhibits the identical bass response at the listening position, and gives surprisingly even coverage in virtually
every control room.
By combining a carefully designed low frequency acoustic rolloff of all the main speakers, including the surrounds, and a
matching 2nd order electronic filter in the M&K Bass Management Controller, M&K achieves all the theoretical benefits of a 4th
order Linkwitz-Riley filter. In addition, to further create a seamless bass managed system, we use only non-ported sealed cabinet
designs on all our speakers and subwoofers, eliminating ported speaker phase anomalies which would prohibit smooth transitions
at the bass managed crossover frequency.
Another good reason for using bass management in the control room is that even the least expensive Dolby Digital consumer
decoder, found in millions of homes, has bass management built in, allowing the bass from all channels to be fed to a single subwoofer.
Also, all Home THX systems utilize an 80 Hz bass management system. Monitoring with proper bass management in the
professional control room insures proper playback translation into the "home theater" environment and into larger spaces such as
motion picture theaters.
Bass Management psychoacoustically works because the ear-brain mechanism cannot detect direction at low frequencies, but
takes its directional cues from the harmonics of the low frequency sound. In the monitoring process, frequencies below 80 Hz are
redirected to the subwoofer. Frequencies above 80Hz are sent to the desired speaker. During the hearing process, our hearing
mechanism integrates the sound into the correct spatial auditory image.
More information on the procedures for setting up Subwoofers, Bass Management Systems, and Surround Sound Systems may
be found on our website, www
.mksound.com; or contact the factory for personal assistance and recommendations.
4. USING THE BMC MINI FOR 5.1 MULTI-CHANNEL PLAYBACK
See Figure 1 for wiring instructions when you are using the BMC Mini for 5.1 channel playback. If you have an LFE signal or
output, use the LFE IN + 0 dB input on the BMC MINI.
SUB/LFE
SUB/LFE
BASS MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER
BMC MINI
A/V RECEIVER or AMPLIFIER
PREAMP,
PROCESSOR, or
MIXING CONSOLE
FIGURE 1
Powered Subwoofer