Connecting Your Fathom(S) - JL Audio Fathom f112 Owner's Manual

CONNECTING YOUR FATHOM
Balanced Inputs
If your home-theater receiver or preamplifier/processor provides balanced
outputs, the Fathom's balanced inputs are the preferred connection. Balanced
connections are used extensively in professional studios and sound reinforcement
applications for a number of very good reasons. Besides ensuring proper grounding
between components, balanced signal transmission is designed to cancel induced
cable noise from the surrounding environment (particularly important with long
cable runs). The bottom line is that your system will be far less likely to exhibit
humming or other extraneous noises if you use balanced connections.
The Fathom subwoofers feature individual left and right balanced input
connections with XLR "combo" jacks. These special jacks accept either a
three-pin male XLR connector or a "tip-ring-sleeve" (TRS) 1/4-inch (6.3 mm)
connector for compatibility with a wide range of equipment.
For systems with a mono subwoofer or "LFE" channel connection, only the
jack labeled "Left or Mono" will be used. This applies to most modern multi-
channel receivers and preamplifier/processors. Separate left and right input jacks
are provided for systems without a dedicated mono subwoofer connection. This
typically applies to two-channel audio equipment.
Appropriate balanced cables are available from your JL Audio dealer and are
not included with the Fathom.
Technical Notes:
• Do not use the balanced inputs with unbalanced signals via adaptors.
The unbalanced inputs of the Fathom are optically isolated and preferable in
situations where only an unbalanced signal source is available.
• Input connectors are configured according to Audio Engineering Society
recommendations for balanced signal cables as follows:
XLR Connection
Pin 1: Shield
Pin 2: Positive
Pin 3: Negative
TRS connection:
Tip: Positive
Ring: Negative
Sleeve: Shield
IMPORTANT: IF YOUR RECEIVER OR PREAMPLIFIER/PROCESSOR DOES NOT
HAVE XLR OR 1/4-INCH TRS BALANCED OUTPUTS, PLEASE REFER TO THE
"UNBALANCED INPUTS" SECTION ON PAGE 19 FOR INPUT CONNECTION
INFORMATION. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONNECT UNBALANCED OUTPUTS
TO THE FATHOM'S BALANCED INPUTS VIA ADAPTORS.
Page 18
The Left and Right inputs on the Fathom
are internally summed to a single mono
channel. Since the Fathom is inherently a
"mono" or single channel device, you can
use the Left and Right inputs for the master
Fathom and then distribute the summed
mono signal to additional slave Fathoms in
the system.
IMPORTANT
| Fathom f112 & f113