OMEGA
Owner’s Manual
Part #9301297-001
®
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INTRODUCTION
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT... You have invested in one of the finest audio/video speakers available. Your
Infinity Omega speaker employs new technology in driver, crossover and
cabinet construction, which places it at the forefront of current speaker design.
As with any high-quality product, special care must be taken to install and
operate your new speaker. It is for this reason we suggest you read this manual
carefully from cover to cover prior to installation.
UNPACKING
Upon opening the carton, inspect the speaker carefully for any sign of transit
damage. If there is damage, immediately call your dealer or the trucking firm
that made the delivery. Do not delay in reporting the damage because the
longer you wait, the more difficult it will become to file a claim. We suggest
that you fold the carton flat and store it for future use.
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ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS
Your Infinity Omega speaker is an extraordinary, highly musical system. Like
all loudspeakers, it will reproduce distortion as well as music. For this reason,
the choice of associated audio components is critical and should be made with
care. If you are replacing existing speakers with an Infinity Omega System,
there should be an audible improvement in sonic quality, assuming your other
components are at least on a par with the Omega speaker in terms of low dis-
tortion, phase linearity, frequency response and so on.
If no improvement is heard, or if the sound deteriorates, it is possible that one
(or more) of your existing components is of a lower standard than your new
Infinity speaker. When a speaker system is exceptionally revealing, musical
colorations and other forms of distortion become more noticeable because
these aberrations are no longer masked by the speaker. Here are some sugges-
tions that will prove useful in obtaining a well-balanced audio system:
• Employ an amplifier with as much power (current capability into an imped-
ance of 4 ohms) as possible. Since quality speakers work best when driven by
high current, the choice of an amplifier with a strong, adequate power supply
and a heavy-duty and rugged output stage generally results in cleaner, better-
defined bass response. And, while low distortion, excellent phase characteris-
tics and low noise are all extremely important performance parameters, suffi-
cient power into a low impedance load (4 ohms or lower) on a continuous
basis is equally important.
• Another consideration is that a lower power amplifier operating at its maxi-
mum power output can damage a speaker more quickly that a high power
amplifier playing at loud sound levels. This occurs because many amplifiers
“clip” their output very “hard” when overdriven, creating high-frequency dis-
tortion, which can cause the voice coil of a tweeter to heat and eventually fail.
Always choose an amplifier with high power. Your authorized Infinity dealer
can best answer your questions and make recommendations.
• The Omega speaker is extremely revealing and will quickly identify sonic
anomalies within the listening system. Poor-quality speaker cables and compo-
nent interconnects can add harshness, detract from spaciousness and reduce
airiness surrounding instruments and voice.
INSTALLATION OF SPIKES
Please note that the speakers stand on spiked feet, which come with plastic
caps installed to prevent injury to you and your belongings. The loudspeakers
will perform best when the spikes make direct contact with the floor. If you
wish to protect hardwood or other solid floors, leave the plastic caps in place.
To level the speaker and to provide firm support at each corner on uneven
floors, you can adjust the height of each foot by screwing it in or out of the
bottom of the speaker. When installing the spikes, be very careful not to allow their
sharp points to injure you or anyone helping you.
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CONNECTIONS USING A STEREO AMPLIFIER
OMEGA
–
+
+
flat
-
EMIT
EMIM
GOLD-PLATED
SHORTING STRAP
flat
-
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
Always turn off the power of your entire system before making connections to
your speaker. Connect each speaker to your amplifier’s output terminals using
the best wire you can obtain. The choice of speaker connecting wire is
extremely important, especially when using speakers as sonically revealing as
Infinity Omega. If inferior wire is used, sonic quality will suffer and the degra-
dation of sound will be readily audible. For best results, do not use wire that is
thinner than 16 gauge. NOTE: the lower the gauge number (16, 14, 12, etc.),
the heavier the wire. Although gauge alone does not reveal the ultimate sonic
quality of wire, it represents a good starting point, especially if you are not
using a name-brand speaker connecting cable. Consult your dealer if you are
not certain which type of wire will make your Infinity speaker sound best.
When using regular lamp cord, look for ridges or different colored insulation
to differentiate polarity. If there is a ridge on the outer insulation, use the ridge
for positive (+) and the wire without the ridge for negative (-). If the insulation
wrapped around one wire is red, use it for positive. Use white (or whatever the
other color may be) for negative. (See figure 1.)
Figure 1.
Some examples of polarity coding on
speaker cables.
DIFFERENT COLOR
CONDUCTORS
RIDGE, STRIPE OR
PRINTING, ONE LEAD
ROUGH OR COLORED
INSULATION, ONE LEAD
It is important to connect your speakers in phase (which means that all indi-
vidual drivers are moving in and out in the same direction and at the same
time) in order to obtain the best localization of instruments and voice as well
as the deepest, most natural bass. If a speaker is out of phase, the drivers in
one channel will move in while the other channel will move out. This condi-
tion invariably results in sonic problems and must be avoided.
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CONNECTIONS USING A STEREO AMPLIFIER
(Continued)
Using one length of speaker connecting wire, connect the RIGHT speaker to
your amplifier’s (or receiver’s) RIGHT channel output terminals. Be sure that
strands of the wire do not touch the ground terminal (and be sure to observe
polarity). Even a thin stray wire can cause distortion in the system that would
be very difficult to trace. Speaker Positive should be connected to amplifier
Positive and speaker Negative to amplifier Negative. Connect the LEFT speaker
to your amplifier’s LEFT channel output terminals in a similar manner. (See fig-
ure 2.)
OMEGA
Figure 2.
Speaker connection.
–
+
+
flat
-
EMIT
EMIM
LEFT
SPEAKER
flat
AMPLIFIER
-
–
+
LEFT
RIGHT
–
+
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
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CONNECTION FOR BI-AMP OPERATION
Your Infinity Omega speakers permit you to employ two power amplifiers in a
bi-amp configuration. One amplifier feeds the woofer (the signal passes
through the speaker’s crossover network to feed the woofer) and the other
amplifier drives the remainder of the speaker system. This arrangement gener-
ally results in the purest and most open sound obtainable from the speaker.
To connect your speaker to two amplifiers, merely remove the two gold-plated
straps (which connect the bass and higher frequency section of the crossover
network together for use with a single power amplifier) and connect one
amplifier to the bass terminals and the other amplifier to the tweeter/midrange
terminals. Observe polarity as detailed in the previous section. (See figure 3.)
OMEGA
AMPLIFIER
–
+
Figure 3.
Connecting the speaker for
bi-amp operation.
LEFT
RIGHT
–
+
–
+
+
flat
-
EMIT
EMIM
flat
AMPLIFIER
-
–
+
LEFT
RIGHT
–
+
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EMPLOY TWO SEPARATE AMPLIFIERS WITH-
OUT FIRST REMOVING THE SHORTING STRAPS ON THE REAR OF THE
SPEAKER. DO NOT REMOVE THE SHORTING STRAPS WHEN USING
ONLY A SINGLE POWER AMPLIFIER (except when bi-wiring; refer to the
next section).
If your amplifiers are not equal in power, always use the amplifier with the
higher power (or greater current capability) to drive the woofers. When using
two different amplifiers, it is recommended that at least one of the amplifiers
has a level control that will permit you to set the level of one of the amplifiers
to balance the other, resulting in equal output feeding the woofers and
midrange/tweeter sections.
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BI-WIRING
Many audiophiles recommend using two connecting wires instead of one
because two wires share current through a greater conducting area. If you wish
to bi-wire your Omega speaker with a single power amplifier, remove the two
shorting straps on the rear of the speaker that separate the woofer and
midrange/tweeter sections of the crossover network. Two parallel speaker wires
are connected to the amplifier’s output (for each channel) and the other ends
of the wires are connected to the woofer and midrange/tweeter sections of the
speaker. (See figure 4.)
OMEGA
–
+
Figure 4.
Connecting the speaker for
bi-wire operation.
+
flat
-
EMIT
flat
EMIM
AMPLIFIER
-
–
+
LEFT
RIGHT
–
+
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
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POSITIONING YOUR SPEAKERS
Locating your Omega speakers in the proper position within your listening
room is of primary importance if you wish to obtain the best possible perfor-
mance from your audio system. Depending on room size and acoustics, mov-
ing the speakers as little as an inch (2.5cm) forward, rearward or sideways can
result in noticeable sonic differences. We urge you, therefore, to experiment
with placement until your speakers deliver their full musical potential.
P
WITHIN A ROOM
WOILSLITION
STRONGLY INFLUENCE
PERFORMANCE...
As a useful starting point for best stereo imaging, place your speakers at least
seven feet (2 meters) apart. Try to locate the speakers as far away as possible
from walls and corners of the room to reduce reflections, which generally
result in sonic anomalies. Our experience has shown that speaker placement
too close to a wall or corner can create hardness, smearing of the sound, lack
of bass detail and, at times, other forms of sonic distortion that reduce clarity
and change the harmonic structure of music. Often as not, these sonic anom-
alies are blamed on the speakers but are really due to poor room placement.
We cannot stress too strongly the importance of room placement and the role
it plays in achieving excellent musical balance. (See figure 5.)
Figure 5.
Suggested starting placement
for Omega speakers.
When the speakers are moved inward (toward each other) this generally
achieves better focus of instruments and vocalists; however, moving the
speakers too close together can reduce the front-to-rear stage effect and you
may need to experiment with the trade-off between focus and imaging. If your
listening room is larger than average and your listening position is relatively
far from the speakers, wider placement of the speakers may be required
(approximately 10 feet or 3 meters apart). Try angling the speakers inward for
better projection of midrange and high frequencies; however, do not angle the
speakers too sharply because this may reduce stereo imaging as well as front-
to-rear depth. The exact angle of toe-in must be determined by careful experi-
mentation. There is no formula to follow because rooms differ in acoustics and
the listener’s position may vary considerably. (See figure 6 on page 12.)
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POSITIONING YOUR SPEAKERS (Continued)
ANGLE SPEAKERS
TOWARDS LISTENING
POSITION
Figure 6.
ANGLES FOR
BOTH SPEAKERS
MUST BE
Angling Omega speakers.
IDENTICAL
LISTENER’S
POSITION
The toe-in angle for each speaker should be exactly the same for best sonic
results. This can be done effectively by eye or by using a tape measure or
straight edge to measure the amount of toe-in from a forward firing position.
Aligning your speakers with a slight tilt either forward or rearward will help
“tune” them to the room and to your listening position. If your sitting position
aligns your ears on a plane that is lower than the midrange and tweeter, you
may wish to tilt the speakers downward so the acoustic output from the speak-
ers reaches your ears on a direct plane. If you are seated in a position that
directs the sound toward your chest or shoulders, it may be necessary to tilt
the speakers slightly rearward so the acoustic output from the midrange and
tweeters reaches your ears on a direct plane. Toe-in, tilting and moving the
speakers closer and further from walls and corners are all part of the system
tuning procedure. Don’t be afraid to experiment as this will result in the best
sound. If a specific location yields satisfying results and you wish to continue
to experiment with speaker placement, mark the ideal location so you can
always return to it.
When installing your speakers, be very careful to keep them on the same plane
(exactly the same distance from the front wall). It is advisable to use a tape
measure or string to measure the exact distance the speakers are located from
the front wall. (See figure 7.)
3 FEET
(1 METER)
Figure 7.
Sound is more direct when midrange
and tweeter reach
FRONT OF SPEAKERS
ON SAME PLANE AND
AT SAME ANGLE
the listener at ear level.
Tilt speaker forward to direct
sound at ear level.
LISTENER’S
POSITION
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POSITIONING YOUR SPEAKERS (Continued)
Room corners are difficult to cope with and you should try to keep the
location of the speakers as far away from corners as possible. Corners add low-
frequency reinforcement and can create severe problems in bass
frequencies, often accentuating bass response and making it inarticulate.
If bass response is inadequate, you may wish to move the speakers closer into
the corners (or rear wall) for reinforcement; however, as a rule of thumb,
always try to locate the speakers as far away from corners and walls as
possible. It is often difficult to balance bass response because it is within this
particular frequency spectrum where the listening room becomes a substantial
influence. When moving the speakers around, listen for sound that is cohesive
and evenly balanced across the audio spectrum. Use various types of program
material when determining sonic balance.
Additional advice on room acoustics and placement is contained on the next
page under the heading “Room Acoustics, Speaker Positioning and Tonal
Balance.”
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ROOM ACOUSTICS, SPEAKER POSITIONING
AND TONAL BALANCE
If you desire a more detailed description of room acoustics and speaker place-
ment, the following information may prove helpful:
• Large areas of glass, mirrors and wood paneling will reflect sound waves and
may result in harshness and excessive brightness. You can reduce the sound
waves reflected by hard surfaces by utilizing softer surfaces. For example,
draperies or wall hangings do a good job of absorbing high frequencies.
Placing a soft, absorbent piece of furniture near the hard surface often
helps reduce unwanted sound waves. Be careful not to absorb too much
sound as this will interfere with sonic balance, causing overall sound to be
dull and lifeless.
• A good listening room has just the right amount of reflection and absorbtion.
To test the sonic balance of your room, stand in the location where the
speakers will be installed and clap your hands two or three times. If the room
is reverberant, you will hear a sharp echo. If the room is dull, the sound of the
clap will decay rapidly and there will be very little or no echo. In fact, it will
seem that the higher frequencies generated by the clap will be missing.
• Furniture, pictures, bookcases, tables and lamps will help reduce unwanted
reflections because they are located at random points in the room. Carpeting
or throw rugs also help reduce floor reflections, although heavy carpeting can
absorb a great deal of the high frequencies, which will make the room seem
“bass heavy.”
• It is customary to place the speakers facing into the long dimension of the
listening room; however, this doesn’t always result in the best sound. At times,
placing the speakers facing into the short dimension of the room will yield
better results due to the acoustic properties of the room and the listener’s
position. Experiment with room placement. You may be pleasantly surprised
at the results.
• Maintaining absolute phase is an essential factor in the proper performance
of your speakers. If all amplifiers (as well as the other components in the audio
chain) were noninverting (if their outputs were always in-phase with their
inputs), maintaining absolute phase would simply involve observation of the
polarities of the speaker connecting wires. However, since there are amplifiers
(as well as preamplifiers and CD players) that invert the output from the
input, some changes in speaker hookup may be required in order to restore
the system to absolute phase. If your amplifier, preamplifier and CD instruc-
tion manuals do not state if these audio components are inverting, assume they
are noninverting, since 98 percent of all audio components do not invert the
audio signal at the output. If you wish to determine whether or not your com-
ponents are inverting, contact your dealer, or write to the manufacturer. If you
are certain that your amplifier is an inverting type, it will be necessary to dis-
connect your speakers and reverse polarity (on both speakers) so that positive
becomes negative and negative becomes positive. (See figure 8.)
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ROOM ACOUSTICS, SPEAKER POSITIONING
AND TONAL BALANCE (Continued)
OMEGA
Figure 8.
Connecting inverting and
noninverting amplifiers.
–
+
NONINVERTING
POWER AMPLIFIER
+
flat
-
EMIT
flat
EMIM
AMPLIFIER
-
–
+
LEFT
RIGHT
–
+
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
OMEGA
–
+
INVERTING
POWER AMPLIFIER
+
flat
-
EMIT
EMIM
flat
AMPLIFIER
-
–
+
LEFT
RIGHT
–
+
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
If you are using two separate amplifiers in a bi-amp mode (that are inverting
types) to drive your Omega system, the aforementioned modification must be
made to the wires connecting both amplifiers to the speakers.
If the only inverting component in your system is the preamplifier or CD play-
er, all of the speaker leads (when using a single amplifier or two separate ones)
must be reversed at either the amplifier output or speaker inputs.
CAUTION: Be sure not to reverse the left and right channels. Left and right
must always be retained as “left” and “right” to ensure proper stereo integrity.
◆
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ADJUSTING YOUR EMIT™ LEVEL
Your Omega loudspeaker allows the EMIT tweeter to be adjusted to one of
three settings (boost, flat, cut). Start with the flat setting and compare to the
boost or cut setting. Trust your ears and select the setting that is most pleasur-
able for your listening room.
ADJUSTING YOUR EMIM™ LEVEL
Your Omega loudspeaker allows the EMIM midrange to be adjusted to one
of two settings (flat and cut). Start with the flat setting and compare to cut
setting. Again trust your ears.
OMEGA
–
+
Note: The settings for EMIT and EMIM
drivers will vary depending on the
listening room they are positioned in.
Rooms with lots of glass and other hard
surfaces may require the cut setting.
Rooms with lots of draperies and other
sound-absorbing material may require
flat or boost settings.
+
flat
-
EMIT
EMIM
flat
-
–
+
L.F.
NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, USA
SETTING THE AUDIO SYSTEM CONTROLS
Never operate your audio system with the equalizer, tone and loudness con-
trols set at maximum boost. This will place undue strain on the amplifier and
can also result in damage to the speakers.
The position of the volume control setting is of little consequence in judging
the amount of power a system generates. Loudness is a function of audio gain,
which in itself is unimportant to the user. The only important consideration is
the loudness level at which the system can be safely played, regardless of
where the volume control is set.
Always turn down the volume of your system completely when changing a
record or switching inputs from phono or CD to FM, and so on. Excessively
loud transients, which can result from a dropped stylus on a record or from
improperly designed switches, can result in severe damage to your speakers.
Furthermore, when changing wires, pulling plugs, and so on, always turn off
all the equipment to prevent transients from entering the speaker. Use caution,
and your speakers will repay you with many years of trouble-free service.
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ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK
If, after connecting your system you find the bass response to be boomy (or
lacking in tightness and solidity) or if the bass driver cones produce excessive
movement, the cause can usually be attributed to acoustic feedback – vibra-
tions from the speakers reaching a turntable and tone arm, creating a reso-
nance. In turn, this vibration is fed back to the electronics and speakers. Since
Omega speakers extend to very low frequencies, isolating the turntable from
vibrations becomes an important procedure. The turntable should be placed
on a heavy, solid support located as far from the speaker as possible. At times,
using a shock-mounted base helps reduce vibration pickup. If, after trying
various methods to reduce acoustic feedback, the phenomenon still exists,
contact your dealer for assistance.
NOTE: CD players, which are susceptible to vibrations, should be mounted on
solid supports to isolate them acoustically. Another method to isolate the CD
player is to mount it on four rubber or plastic legs which have a predeter-
mined amount of elasticity.
CARE OF YOUR SPEAKERS
Use a soft cloth and a fine furniture oil to clean the wood finish. If you use a
spray cleaner/polish, be careful not to spray the polish on the grille cloth. The
grille may be vacuumed occasionally, but always set the vacuum cleaner on
low suction to avoid tearing the cloth.
IN CASE OF TROUBLE WITH YOUR SPEAKERS
Note that you can use your amplifier’s two channels of information for simple
troubleshooting. If the sound quality is distorted, listen to each speaker sepa-
rately to check if the fault is present in both. If it is, then the trouble is likely
to be elsewhere in your system. If the fault is in one channel only, reverse the
outputs from your amplifier to the speakers (right-to-left and left-to-right). If
the distortion moves to the other channel, the fault is not in the speaker. (This
technique may also be used to locate a fault between the signal source and
preamp/receiver and/or between preamp and power amp(s).)
If you have been unsuccessful in locating the specific source of trouble (or if
you have located it, but have been unable to correct it), please consult the
Authorized Infinity Dealer from whom you purchased the system. Infinity
Dealers are audio specialists and can be of great assistance.
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Omega – Owner’s Manual 15
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OMEGA
SPECIFICATIONS
PERFORMANCE DATA
Recommended Power:
Frequency Response:
Crossover Frequencies:
Sensitivity:
100 – 500 watts RMS per channel
30Hz – 42kHz (±2dB)
180Hz, 900Hz, 4000Hz
87dB @ 2.83V/1M
Drivers:
EMIT™ & EMIT™-R Tweeters
EMIM™ MIDRANGE
6-1/2" (165mm) MIDBASS
12" (305mm) WATKINS WOOFER
Black
FINISH
Height, Width, Depth:
Weight:
48-7/16 x 15-3/8 x 15" (1230 x 390 x 380mm)
121 lbs/55 kg
DIMENSIONS
Declaration of Conformity
We, Infinity Systems A/S
Kongevejen 194B
DK-3460 Birkerød
DENMARK
declare in own responsibility, that the product described
in this owner’s manual is in compliance with technical
standards:
Infinity constantly strives to update and improve existing products, as well as create new ones.
Therefore, the specifications and construction details in this and related Infinity publications are
subject to change without notice.
EN 50081-1:1991
EN 50082-1:1992
© 1998 Infinity Systems, Inc., 250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797 USA
(516) 496-3400 • FAX (516) 682-3523
Infinity is a registered trademark of Infinity Systems, Inc.
Steen Michaelsen
Infinity Systems A/S
Birkerød. DENMARK. 6/98
Part No. 9301297-001
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