Owner’s Manual Sage S90i In-Wall Subwoofer
Table of Contents Introduction.....................................................................................................4 About this manual...................................................................................................4 Please register your system.....................................................................................4 Description......................................................................................................
Introduction Congratulations on purchasing your Wisdom Audio in-wall subwoofer. The S90i’s Regenerative Transmission Line™ technology delivers tremendous bass performance in terms of depth, dynamics, and distortion resulting in articulate bass that integrates seamlessly with high-resolution main speakers such as Wisdom Audio’s Sage Series. About this manual This manual focuses on the S90i subwoofer itself.
Description Your Sage S90i subwoofer uses a modern implementation of an old idea for high quality, low distortion bass reproduction. While the roots of the Regenerative Transmission Line™ go back to the 1950’s, it is the combination of modern computer modeling and the vastly more powerful motors of contemporary driver design that make the RTL™ so special.
Unpacking the S90i The Wisdom Audio Sage S90i subwoofer is a substantial piece of equipment. Please exercise caution when unpacking your S90i to ensure that you do not strain yourself from its (perhaps unexpected) weight. Caution! Do not attempt to lift your S90i by yourself. Unpacking this subwoofer is easy for two people, but it is unwise for a single person to attempt doing so. Do not attempt to lift your S90i while bending or twisting from the waist. Use your legs for lifting, not your back.
The end of the speaker that contains the grille assembly also includes the “pigtail” for connecting the speaker to the system, as well as some “feet” to support the S90i slightly above the sole plate, to allow room for the wiring and the baseboard of the finished wall. (Rooms with unusually tall baseboards may require the S90i to be mounted somewhat higher still.) The grille itself is friction-fit into its frame using rubber channels on its edges.
The serial number for the S90i can also be found on the inside of the opening for the Regenerative Transmission Line.
Room Acoustics & Placement Wisdom Audio believes in equalization. Assume for a moment that you had a “perfect” loudspeaker: as soon as you place it in your room, its perfection is gone. In fact, even good rooms often introduce deviations of 20 dB to the response of the system. This is particularly true in the bottom two octaves, where a subwoofer operates.
The ultimate in dedicated listening room construction involves the design and construction of floating walls, ceiling and floor. This approach yields the added benefit (when done properly) of providing outstanding acoustic isolation from adjacent spaces as well as superb bass reproduction. This approach goes well beyond the scope of an owner’s manual; if you are interested, you should contact a professional acoustician who has specialized in this sort of domestic room design.
• two widely-spaced line source speakers handle the Left and Right channels; • two line source speakers closely flanking the screen both play the (mono) center channel signal. This approach creates a stunningly convincing “phantom” center image that appears to emerge directly from the center of the picture, while allowing you to use any display device you choose.
extremely long waves do not contribute meaningfully to the imaging that the main speakers create. However, this fact does not mean that the placement of the subwoofers has no effect on the sound quality in the room. Far from it. The subwoofers are the most likely to suffer from the response irregularities introduced by the room itself, operating as they do below approximately 80 Hz in most systems.
you directly. A well-designed room is also quieter and more comfortable. It can easily become a favorite retreat for peace and rejuvenation. If you decide to investigate the possibility of improving your room with the help of a professional, it is important to find someone who focuses on residential spaces. Most acousticians are trained to deal with large spaces — airports, auditoriums, lobbies in commercial buildings, etc.
Installing the S90i in a Wall Your dealer has extensive knowledge of wall construction, and will customize these installation instructions to suit the needs of your particular situation. But these notes provide an overview of the process. Note that the Regenerative Transmission Line opening that vents the low frequencies into the room may be placed either up near the ceiling, or down near the floor. In most rooms, these are largely equivalent positions in terms of acoustics.
Obviously, there cannot be any plumbing or wiring in this stud bay, nor firebreaks. The S90i will use virtually all of the available space in a standard eight foot 2 x 6 stud bay. 2. Stand the S90i in front of the bay in which it will reside; make the electrical connections There are two methods commonly used for making these connections.
Installing the S90i in the Ceiling The S90i can also be installed above the ceiling, or under the floor, assuming you have suitable attic or crawl space access. Although the S90i can fit between standard ceiling or floor joists, we recommend placing the S90i across the joists. It does not have to be perfectly perpendicular to the joists, but should rest above (or below) them rather than in between them.
• • Protecto Wrap for wrapping the Bass Snorkel after it has been adjusted to the final length and shape #8 dry-wall screws 2. Place the ceiling flange assembly in the intended mounting location, and use it as a template for marking the vent into the room. Cut the drywall with a keyhole saw or similar tool. 3. Screw the ceiling flange in its location.
4. Align the S90i flange plate on the S90i, flush with the corner of the enclosure, and screw into place. Take care to ensure that there are no air leaks around the edges of the flange assembly. You want all the low frequency energy transferred through the “snorkel” into the room.
5. Place the expanding aluminum “snorkel” on the ceiling flange and cinch it in place using one of the band clamps. The snorkel expands over a fairly wide range. It should be lengthened until is it slightly taller than is needed for the joists in your installation. If your attic has joists that are smaller than 2” x 8”, you may need to trim the aluminum to a more suitable length using a utility knife. Caution! Be certain that the snorkel can be compressed somewhat before proceeding to the next step.
6. Move the S90i into place above the snorkel, and gently place its flange into the snorkel. Test fit the S90i assembly to the snorkel and ceiling flange. The snorkel should extend to the back edge of both flanges.
7. Install the second band clamp on the S90i flange. The next step is to wrap the snorkel in the heavy Protecto Wrap, which dramatically deadens and stiffens the snorkel, and minimizes any leakage of bass into the attic and adjacent spaces.
8. Depending on your access to the work space, either wrap the snorkel in Protecto Wrap in place, or loosen one of the band clamps and wrap it in a more convenient position, being careful not to change the length of the snorkel in the process. This is a critical step, as it locks the duct into its final position, greatly stiffening the assembly and ensuring that the bass energy is vented into the room rather than leaked into adjacent attic space.
9. Once the snorkel is wrapped, and the S90is is in place with the band clamps snugged down, screw the S90i into the studs to anchor it firmly in place. Screw only through the wooden flange that extends around the edge of the face of the S90i. Fasteners should not be driven into the S90i elsewhere, as there are locations in which doing so could cause permanent damage and/or compromise its performance. 10. Finally, attach the HVAC grille by screwing it in place.
Tips and Ideas 24 It is impossible to cover every possible installation application of this versatile product. But here are a couple ideas to get you thinking.
Black out the HVAC and snorkel Cut a cardboard mask just slightly smaller than your HVAC grille (either the one supplied, or your customer’s preferred grille design). Use it to paint the area around the vent black. In the process, paint the inside of the aluminum duct black as well. Several light coats will work better than trying to do everything in one heavy coat. Install the HVAC grille over the blackened area.
Limited access situations Sometimes, access above the ceiling is limited, as in the case of the W-trusses shown below. In such cases, you can use a longer piece of “snorkel” and extra Protecto Wrap to pipe the bass into the room. The same basic process applies, and yields excellent results as long as you are careful to wrap the expanding duct tightly.
On important characteristic of any replacement HVAC grille or grate you may elect to use for aesthetic reasons: many such grille have adjustable louvres to direct the flow of air. These should be either removed or frozen in place with liberal amounts of glue in order to avoid rattles. A lot of air will be flowing through these grilles, in both directions. Anything that can rattle, will rattle.
Making the S90i Connections As with any system, you should make changes to the connections only when the power is turned off to avoid any chance of inadvertently causing a problem (such as a short-circuit). We recommend using heavy-gauge speaker wire, particularly when the installation forces you to use longer wires than you might otherwise. A good rule of thumb is to keep the “loop resistance” below 0.07 ohms. The loop resistance can be easily measured with an inexpensive volt-ohm meter.
Optimizing the System A Wisdom Audio loudspeaker system is just that: a system, designed to provide the highest calibre of performance, in the widest variety of possible settings. As such, simply connecting all the wires does not mean the system is optimized. The SC-1 System Controller manual has the pertinent details on precisely how to use it to optimize the performance of the system. For the purposes of this manual, a quick overview of the process is sufficient. 1.
North American Warranty Standard Warranty When purchased from and installed by an authorized Wisdom Audio dealer, Wisdom Audio® loudspeakers are warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use for a period of five years from the original date of purchase. Furthermore, the transducers (“drivers”) in your Wisdom Audio speakers are warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use for a period of twenty years from the original date of purchase.
Obtaining Service We take great pride in our dealers. Experience, dedication, and integrity make these professionals ideally suited to assist with our customers’ service needs. If you develop a problem with your Wisdom Audio subwoofer, please contact your dealer. Your dealer will then decide whether the problem can be remedied locally, or whether to contact Wisdom Audio for further service information or parts.
Specifications All specifications are subject to change at any time, in order to improve the product. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Frequency response Nominal Impedance Sensitivity Power handling, peak: Dimensions Shipping weight 20Hz – 80 kHz ± 3dB relative to the target curve 5Ω 93 dB/1w/1m 500W see appropriate Dimensions drawings on next page 65 lbs. (30 kg) For more information, see your Wisdom Audio dealer, or contact: Wisdom Audio 1572 College Parkway, Suite 164 Carson City, NV 89706 www.wisdomaudio.
S90i Dimensions 33
Notes 34
WISDOM and the stylized W are registered trademarks of Wisdom Audio. Wisdom Audio 1572 College Parkway, Suite 164 Carson City, Nevada 89706 USA Telephone: 775.887.8850 Fax: 775.887.8820 S90OM-1.01 36 © 4/2011 Wisdom Audio, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
