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Congratulations on choosing Krix
Krix loudspeakers are designed to reproduce the highest quality sound. To ensure the best performance from
your speakers please read this owner's manual carefully. If you have any further queries please contact your
Krix retailer or Krix direct.
Amplifier power
Loudspeakers have a recommended power rating
and this rating is given as a guide in selecting an
appropriate amplifier for your loudspeakers (see
overleaf for full specifications). Due to the high
sensitivity of the Esoterix Altum, an amplifier even
with a modest rated power output may be selected.
Where higher listening levels are required or in larger
rooms, a larger amplifier may be used due to the
high power handling of the product.
Care should always be taken to avoid overdriving and
!
damaging your speakers as your amplifier is likely to
reach maximum power output before the maximum
volume setting is reached. Source material volume
levels can vary, as a guide, we suggest that you do
not exceed zero on the digital display or 12 o'clock
on conventional volume dials. Turning the volume
dial past the amplifier's maximum output will create
clipping (distortion). Clipping can be recognised
as harsh, aggressive distortion. For example, it is
possible to damage a 200 Watt speaker with a 50
Watt per channel amplifier, as clipping occurs at a
lower volume level with a lower powered amplifier.
Cabling
Connecting your speakers with adequately sized
speaker cable will ensure optimum performance.
The Esoterix Altum loudspeakers have a lower
nominal impedance of 4 Ohms, hence a minimum
cable size of 14AWG is strongly recommended. For
cable runs longer than 5m, 12 AWG or larger cable is
recommended. For best results it is also suggested
to limit the total cable run to less than 10m.
Stands
The Esoterix Altum loudspeaker may be purchased
with
matching
stands
which
disassembled for safe shipping.
The following directions will assist in assembling the
stands and attaching the loudspeakers.
•
Fit the stand post to the weighted base and secure
using the 3 supplied bolts (figure 2).
•
Carefully align the rebated section in the base of the
speaker with the metal stand top plate and lower the
speaker onto the stand (figure 3).
•
Secure the stand to the base of the loudspeaker
using the 4 supplied bolts (figure 3).
•
Guide speaker cable through the hole at the back of
the stand. Carefully tilt the stand forward to retrieve
cable from under the base of the stand (figure 3).
Floor Spikes
The Esoterix Altum stands are fitted with soft
damping rubber feet to improve acoustic isolation
and support the product on a wide variety of
surfaces.
Alternatively, the rubber feet may be removed with
a phillips head screw driver to reveal threaded
inserts to which the supplied spikes can be attached
(figure 4). Spikes can be used to help create a solid
foundation for the speaker stand, particularly on
thick carpeted floors. The height of each spike is
adjustable allowing the speaker stand to be levelled
on uneven floor surfaces. Install the spikes by
screwing them into the threaded insert and secure
by tightening the lock nuts. To protect uncarpeted
floors that may be damaged by the spike points,
place the supplied metal disks under each spike.
Grille
The Esoterix Altum loudspeaker is supplied with
a magnetic grille that covers the bass driver with
acoustically transparent cloth.
The advantage of the magnetic fixing is that it allows
for easy removal of the grille if desired without the
use of any mechanical fasteners. To remove the grille
simply grip the edge and gently pull to release the
magnetic attraction thereby revealing the front baffle
and bass driver. Reinstating the grille will allow the
magnetic attraction to self-centre the grille onto the
baffle.
Positioning
The Esoterix Altum's meticulously
waveguide delivers a midrange response with a
detailed and 'direct' sound quality. As a result of
this technology, improvements in stereo imaging
and definition can be realised in a wide variety of
listening rooms and placement configurations. To
maximise the sound quality and enjoyment of your
system, careful consideration of the placement of the
speaker is highly recommended.
The front of the loudspeaker is angled back at 7.5° in
order to direct the sound towards the listener's ears.
When the product is placed on an entertainment
cabinet, credenza or optional matching stands,
an ideal listening height can be achieved across a
wide variety of listening distances. The height of
the matching stands has been carefully chosen to
position the centre of the speaker at 800mm above
floor level, which in combination with the angled
front allows the listener be to on-axis when seated or
standing at a variety of distances (figure 5).
In rooms with few soft furnishing your speaker can
sound bright and lack 'detail'. Therefore, adding
curtains, carpets, picture frames, couches and
bookcases etc can help absorb reflected sound and
are
supplied
improve sound quality. Also, rooms with bare parallel
walls can suffer from 'slap echoes' as sound bounces
or 'flutters' between the walls. Improvements can
be made by adding soft furnishings on or between
these walls.
Moving speakers closer to a wall or corner will
increase bass output but decrease aural 'clarity' and
'depth'. (As a guide, try to position your speakers at
least 50cm away from a corner and 20cm from a rear
wall).
Try to keep the acoustic environment (bookcases,
walls, curtains etc) surrounding your left and
right speakers similar to help create a balanced
soundstage.
When positioning your speakers try to find the best
compromise between the suggestions below to suit
your listening preferences and your room.
a. The widest stereo separation is achieved when
both the left and right speakers form an equilateral
triangle with the primary listening position and the
loudspeakers are angled in sharply. The Esoterix
Altum allows this configuration to be enjoyed, while
maintaining good definition and stereo imaging,
due to the waveguide's ability to project more of the
sound forward towards the listener, as this reduces
unwanted reflections off the ceiling and side walls
(figure 6a).
b. If the loudspeaker spacing is reduced to two-
thirds of the distance from the primary listening
position, the central stereo 'image' will become less
separated and more homogeneous. This setup will
create a larger 'sweet-spot' that can be enjoyed by
more listeners (figure 6b).
c. A good balance between the above suggestions
can often be found with an 'equal legged T'
arrangement (figure 6c).
Some experimentation is recommended to find the
optimum 'toe-in' which will help focus the centre
stereo 'image' of your speakers to your listening
preference.
Connecting your Loudspeakers
The Esoterix Altum has two pairs of terminals for the
high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) inputs.
These inputs must remain linked for conventional
use (figure 7). When bi-wiring, these links should
be removed and each pair of terminals connected
engineered
independently (figure 8). Bi-amping is also possible,
where an independent amplifier is used for each
of the low frequency and high frequency sections
of the loudspeaker. Please ask your Krix dealer for
specific recommendations.
To ensure optimum speaker performance, it is
!
important that your system is connected properly.
Turn off all electronic equipment.
•
Follow the connection instructions supplied with
your amplifier or receiver.
•
Prepare speaker cables for connecting to speakers
by neatly stripping cable ends. Care should be
taken to eliminate loose strands of wire that may be
present a short circuit hazard. Alternatively you can
use spade lugs or banana plugs (figure 1). Take care
to assign the same cable colour or trace from the
positive (+) connector on the amplifier to the positive
(+) connector on the speaker (figure 7,8).
Ensure both pairs of binding posts are tightened
!
sufficiently, regardless of the connection method
used, so that the bridging links function correctly.
Caring for your Loudspeakers
To clean your speaker cabinet, gently wipe with a
damp cloth. Do not rub hard on the cabinet at any
one point or you may leave a polish mark. To clean
the grille, remove from the speaker cabinet, as
previously described, and vacuum at a low power
setting using a soft brush attachment. The bass
driver(s) and tweeter(s) can be gently dusted by
using a soft bristled brush.
Where possible, do not touch the speaker
!
diaphragms, particularly the tweeter diaphragm, as
they are fragile and easily damaged.
Thank you for choosing Krix
2
banana plug
binding post
spade lug
wire
figure 1
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