Paradigm Active OM-700 - Fully Powered Speaker System Manual

Introduction

Congratulations, you are about to experience the incredible sonic performance of a highly advanced PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE SPEAKER SYSTEM. This fully powered system utilizes state-of-the-art design technology and sets all new standards for spectral precision, midrange clarity, low distortion and sound power vs. size. Please take the time to read this manual. Follow all instructions to ensure proper installation and operation for maximum listening enjoyment.

Comprehensive R& D has been undertaken to achieve optimum performance of every individual component part at every design stage. This has enabled PARADIGM'S REFERENCE DIVISION to produce fully powered speaker systems with breathtaking high-end sonic abilities!

Use of the finest components and materials along with sophisticated manufacturing and quality control techniques ensure that this exceptional level of performance will be maintained for many years.

PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE SPEAKERS have a high quality finish which is both attractive and durable. To clean use a damp, soft cloth. Avoid getting any part of the speaker system wet. Always unplug the AC cord whenever you clean the rear panel.

NOTE!
If your PARADIGM REFERENCE speakers have been transported or stored at temperatures below 10°C (50°F) they should be allowed to warm up to normal room temperature before using, otherwise performance may be affected. This is because of two factors:

1. The surround material used in the bass/midrange drive unit(s) is made of a compound that may stiffen in colder temperatures.
2. The ferro-fluid used in the high frequency drive unit thickens in colder temperatures.

Although PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE SPEAKERS sound great "right out of the carton", they will sound even better after they are "broken-in". We therefore recommend that you operate the speakers for several hours before you do any critical listening.

READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!
BEFORE OPERATING YOUR POWERED SPEAKERS, READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS! RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

To protect against electrical shock and risk of fire do not expose to rain or moisture, do not use powered speakers near sinks, showers, bathtubs, swimming pools, saunas, in wet basements or near any source of water. Always unplug AC cord before cleaning.
To protect against electrical shock do not remove the amplifier from the speaker enclosure. There are no user serviceable parts inside. If the unit has been dropped, damaged, exposed to water or does not operate normally, it must be serviced. Refer any servicing to your AUTHORIZED PARADIGM REFERENCE DEALER, who will return the product to PARADIGM ELECTRONICS INC., AUDIOSTREAM (in the U.S.) or IMPORT DISTRIBUTOR.

These powered speakers have a polarized electrical plug. To protect against electrical shock do not use with any receptacle, extension cord or any other outlet unless the metal arms of the plug can be fully inserted so that they are not exposed.
Use only with the AC voltage rating indicated on the rear panel. Do not overload outlets or extension cords, as this can result in a risk of fire or electrical shock. Install so that the power cord will not get damaged over time. Unplug the AC cord when not using it for an extended period of time to prevent damage due to lightning and power surges.

PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE speakers have built-in high-power amplifiers. To prevent over heating, always provide adequate ventilation to allow for cooling. Do not place close to any type of heat source, such as furnace registers or in fully enclosed spaces or near any soft surfaces such as sofas or curtains/drapes that can restrict ventilation.

YOUR LISTENING ROOM

PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE speakers are designed to provide excellent sonic results in a wide variety of domestic settings. It is important to note however, that listening room construction, dimensions and furnishings all play a part in the quality of sound you will ultimately achieve. Your listening room will impose it's own character on the performance capabilities of any speaker system. The extra care you take in setting-up these speakers in your room will result in greater listening enjoyment. Please consider and try to follow these guidelines:

1. Concrete floors and walls (i.e. basement rooms) tend to aggravate low frequency standing wave problems and are less preferred.
2. Rooms where the height, width and length are similar should be avoided as they canexhibit significant low frequency standing wave problems. This may result in reduced clarity. If no other room is possible, experiment with speaker placement in your room to minimize the problem.
3. Mid and high frequencies are affected by the amount of soft furnishings in your room such as curtains, carpets, sofas, wallcoverings, etc. An excess of such items can produce a dull sound. The same room without any soft furnishings will produce a brighter sound. A "normal" quantity of soft furnishings found in most living situations provides the right acoustic space so that the speaker will sound balanced.

LOCATION OF FRONT SPEAKERS

PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE speakers are designed to allow flexible placement and provide a very large "window" of sound into your listening room. To optimize performance, however, we do suggest that you observe these guidelines:

1. Accurate Tim bre: The most accurate timbrel balance will be achieved with the tweeters at approximately ear level. We recommend PREMIER^™ speaker stands for non-floorstanding models. (See your dealer for more information.)
2. Optim ized Im aging: Measure the approximate distance from your listening position to the speakers. The speakers should be positioned approximately 2/3 of that distance from each other. (For example, if the listening-position to speakers-position distance is ≈3m (9ft) then the speakers should be ≈2m (6ft) apart). Turning the speakers so they are "aimed" toward the listening position can also enhance imaging ability.
3. Bass Perform ance: As a general rule placing speakers closer to the rear wall increases low bass output (this is true for front ported, rear ported or sealed enclosures). For optimal bass performance the speakers should be positioned so that the distance to the side walls is different than the distance to the rear wall. Avoid corner placement as this usually produces excessive bass and reduces clarity.

LOCATION OF MATCHED LEFT/CENTER/RIGHT SPEAKERS

PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE Left/Center/Right speakers are designed to provide precisely matched timbrel performance. Left/Right (vertical) and Center Channel (horizontal) versions are available to allow for greater flexibility in placement. While the Center Channel speaker is designed to provide exceptional timbre matching with all PARADIGM REFERENCE speakers, using three identical ACTIVE Left/Center/Right speakers "across-the-front" further optimizes timbrel accuracy.

• PLACEMENT FOR THE CENTER SPEAKER:
  PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE Center Channel speakers are designed to provide a very large listening "window" and therefore allow listeners throughout the room to hear center channel information with unprecedented clarity and intelligibility.
  REFERENCE ACTIVE Center Channel speakers are designed for placement directly above or below your TV monitor or large screen TV. (See your dealer for more information and recommendations).
• PLACEMENT FOR LEFT AND RIGHT SPEAKERS:
  Placement of REFERENCE ACTIVE Left/Right speakers is the same as indicated in the previous section - "Location of Front Speakers".

LOCATION OF "ADP" SURROUND SPEAKERS

PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE "ADP" Surround speakers can be positioned in various locations with outstanding results.

NOTE: In all cases position the speakers so that the PARADIGM REFERENCE "P" nameplate on front is aimed towards the listening position.

• WALL MOUNTED
  Position ACTIVE "ADP" Surrounds vertically with drivers firing toward the front and back walls. Place one speaker to either side of the main listening area, 1 meter (3ft) or more above the floor.*

For mounting this speaker on the wall:

1. Allow ≈8cm (≈2") for amplifier ventilation and access to controls.
2. Have a professional contractor install the speaker to ensure secure mounting.
   (For added convenience the speakers may also be placed on shelves or high furniture (bookcases) as long as there is at least 45cm (18in) of free space on either side of the speaker. Allow for adequate ventilation.)

NOTE: Speaker can be mounted on speaker stand (at approximately ear level), or on the wall with mounting bracket (optional extra).
*NOTE: Always use a secondary safety device ie. strap or cable when wall mounting.

• CORNER MOUNTED
  ACTIVE "ADP" Surrounds can be used on speaker stands and positioned across the back corners of the room – forming a triangle with the converging walls. The speakers output will then be dispersed by the converging walls.
  
• FREE SPACE MOUNTED
  ACTIVE "ADP" Surrounds can also be used as outlined in #2, but placed as close as 1m (3 ft) to the listening area, flanking either side.
  

CONTROL FACILITIES

• AUTO-ON/OFF:
  This innovative feature eliminates the need for a manually operated power switch. PARADIGM's auto-on/off simply turns the speaker on whenever there is an input signal. If no input signal is sensed after a period of time the speaker will switch off automatically.
• ALWAYS ON:
  In addition, a power switch is provided which may be positioned to allow the speaker to remain on at all times.
• SPEAKER LEVEL:
  This allows you to set the input level of the speaker. Once set, the level control on your Pre-amp/Processor/Receiver or other source component, is used to adjust loudness volume.
• HIGH-FREQUENCY CONTOUR:
  This allows you to make fine adjustments (±2dB) to the high-frequency balance of the powered speaker system.
• LOW-FREQUENCY CONTOUR:
  This allows you to make fine adjustments (±4dB) to the low-frequency balance of the powered speaker system.
• HIGH-PASS:
  When using PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE speakers with a subwoofer you can decrease the ACTIVE speaker's low bass output by switching in it's built-in High-Pass. This increases the maximum playing ceiling of the powered speaker, resulting in reduced low frequency distortion, improved dynamic range and overall clarity at high levels.

INPUT FACILITIES

• LOW LEVEL INPUT:
  Allows for connection from the low level outputs of a Pre-amplifier, Processor, pre-outs of an A/V Receiver, or other suitable low level source. Both normal (RCA) and balanced (XLR) inputs are provided.

CONNECTION

Connection is as shown in the following diagrams. Be sure your source components and ACTIVE speakers are switched off before making any connections. This will avoid any grounding noises which may occur when inserting input connectors.

For optimum sound reproduction the use of high-quality interconnect cable is essential. We recommend AUDIOSTREAM cable. Please see your dealer for m ore inform ation.

SELECT ONE OF THE TWO LOW LEVEL INPUTS PROVIDED:

• MAIN (RCA) INPUT:
  For normal use, switch the Low Level Input switch to the "Main" position and connect the interconnect cable from your Preamp/Processor or other source component, to the RCA Input Jack on the speaker.
  

• BALANCED (XLR) INPUT:
  The Balanced input should be used if there is the potential of picking up any exteraneous electrical noise from other sources. The use of this input requires...
  1. That your Preamp/Processor (or source component) has Balanced (XLR) Outputs.
  2. The use of Balanced interconnect cable with "XLR" connectors. See your dealer for further information and recommendations.
     To use the Balanced Input, switch the Low Level Input switch to the "Balanced" position and connect the Balanced interconnect cable from your Preamp/Processor or source component, to the Balanced (XLR) input jack on the speaker.

SET-UP PROCEDURE

NOTE:
The PARADIGM REFERENCE"P" nameplate on the front of your ACTIVE speaker lights up green whenever the speaker is operational. It will also turn red indicating that you have reached the maximum loudness capability of the speaker system – in this case be sure to reduce the volume to avoid damaging your speakers.

1. Proceed only when you have properly completed all hook-up instructions.
2. Turn the Speaker Level Control on the back panel of your ACTIVE speaker to approximately half volume.
3. The level control on your Preamp/Processor or source component now controls the volume. If full volume cannot be reached, increase the Speaker Level Control on the ACTIVE speaker until full volume is established. If the "P" logo turns red reduce volume.
4. Use the High-Frequency Contour Control to increase (up to +2dB) or decrease (up to -2dB) high frequency output as may be desired.
   High-frequency balance adjustment allows you to compensate for rooms that may reduce high frequencies because of absoptive furnishings – sofas, curtains, carpets, wallcoverings, etc., or other rooms which may have more reflective surfaces and thereby tend to increase high frequencies.
5. Use the Low-Frequency Contour Control to increase (up to +4dB) or decrease (up to -4dB) low frequency output as may be desired.
   Low-frequency balance adjustment allows you to compensate for speaker placement, and the acoustics of your listening room. Speakers placed well away from back and side walls will provide best midrange clarity with good bass balance. In some rooms, however, this may result in too little bass. If speakers are placed closer to back and side walls, bass will tend to increase and there could be too much bass.
6. Switch the High-Pass to "In" when using your PARADIGM REFERENCE ACTIVE speaker with a subwoofer. This decreases the low bass output of the speaker thereby increasing it's maximum playing ceiling, resulting in reduced low frequency distortion, improved dynamic range and overall clarity at high levels.