User manual FOCAL SM8

[. . . ] To ensure no accidental damage to the tweeter dome it is advised to carefully replace the protection covers while not in use. ⷠIn the unlikely case of damage to the dome, of any form, a wide piece of adhesive tape should be immediately used to seal the whole front surface of the tweeter. The protective cover should then be replaced and also taped securely in place. You should then inform the dealer from whom you purchased the product so that the tweeter can be removed by a professional and returned to the product distributor for replacement. [. . . ] B), two separate XLR-type inlets are provided for audio connections, one for an analogue signal, the other one for a digital (AES-3 compatible) signal. Both use the standard cabling scheme, namely: Pin 1 = Ground (shield) Pin 2 = In phase voltage ("hot") Pin 3 = Out-of-phase voltage ("cold") Selection of one input or the other is done automatically by the SM8 internal programme, with highest priority to the incoming digital signal whenever it can be locked on. The sensitivity of this input is +4dBu, in accordance with standard professional audio equipment. When this input is used the sampling rate of the internal A/D converter is 96kHz. This input will accept AES signal with sampling rates of 44. As is known, the AES signal carry data for 2 separate audio channels (namely "Left" and "Right") so it is necessary to select which one of the two is to be used (each SM8 deals with only one input channel): this is done by means of a two-position switch located above the XLR connector. When using the digital input, please bear in mind the usual recommendations applicable to digital connections, especially if long cable runs are required: choose an appropriate (110 Ohms) cable, use an AES compatible distributor to ensure impedance matching when several receivers are fed from a single source. Focal can supply an inexpensive passive splitter (please contact your dealer). They are three different ways of remotely controlling a SM8 loudspeaker: · Through an Infra-Red receiver, located on the front of the cabinet, below the midrange driver. This is the link provided for a wireless control from a PDA. Selection between those three operation modes is achieved by operating the three-position switch (IR, PC, and MIDI marks respectively) located within the INTERFACE box of the rear panel. The principle of operation of a complete system, as far as remote control is concerned, is based on a "master/slave" scheme. One single loudspeaker is set to receive control information, becoming the master, and pass on the information to all the others (slaves). All the slave units must be set to the MIDI switch position, and linked together to the master, in a daisy chain scheme: MIDI cables will be used, going from the "MIDI OUT" connector of one speaker, to the "MIDI IN" connector of the next speaker. The master unit may use either IR or PC modes, depending on the control source. Please note that the CONTROL switch should be set before powering the speaker, proper operation is not guaranteed otherwise. Before starting to work with your SM8 system, you need to go through a quick initialisation procedure, in order to specify which loudspeaker will be allocated a specific channel: please note this is for control data only, you still need to properly set the Left/ Right switch for the audio data if you are to use the digital input (see previous section). Indeed, most controls can be set individually and independently for the various channels: this adds a great deal of flexibility when it comes to tailor the system to your listening environment, as described in the next sections. In case the initialisation is not carried out, the factory set default values are such that all speakers will respond to any controls, regardless of the channels selected. At this stage, it is assumed that all the loudspeakers are appropriately configured with respect to the CONTROL switch and associated connections. One of them should have been configured as the "master", and all the others as slaves. Make sure there are no audio connection, then turn the power on by pressing the switch on the back of the speakers: a green LED indicator should come on. [. . . ] The range of adjustment in amplitude of the two shelving filters is from +6 to -12dB. The frequency break points are user defined, within a range of 25 to 16000Hz. They can be enabled or disabled by blanking the frequency fields, which -when enabled- are to be set by the user. For all channels except for the Sub, the Hi-Pass slope can be set to either 12 or 24 dB/ oct. [. . . ]