Surround Speaker System
Owner’s Manual
SR30THX
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SR30THX FEATURES
1 Hand-tuned crossover
6 Matrixed midranges for switchable direct/diffuse
sound
2 Recessed side-firing tweeter for best diffuse sound
3 Front-firing tweeter for best direct sound mode
7 Input terminals with removable jumpers for easy
7.1 upgrades
6.5" (165mm) dual-voice coil bass unit
8 Truss bottom panel
4
5
Toggle switch for convenient surround mode selection
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1
5
3
7
2
8
6
3
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SR30THX
FEATURES OF THE
Unique Cabinet Design
SURROUND
Hand-Tuned Crossover
A sealed enclosure above and a unique matrix array below
project sound in three distinct polar patterns. The truss panel
bottom reduces the detrimental effects of standing waves
within the cabinet.
The filter network is optimized to provide a smooth and flat
power response in diffuse mode. Each crossover is tuned by our
technicians to 0.5dB of the Master Reference, assuring pre-
dictable performance in your home. Furthermore, a sophisticated
switching network enables the SR30THX to perform in any
application.
Speaker Elements
Three 1-inch aluminum-dome tweeters cover frequencies
above 3kHz. Two 3.5-inch (89mm) extended-range drivers are
responsible for frequencies between 400Hz and 3kHz. One
omnidirectional 6.5-inch (135mm) dual-voice coil bass unit
handles all frequencies from 60Hz to 400Hz.
Mounts to Walls
Our unique locking bracket keeps the SR30THX securely mounted
to walls. One person can install the SR30THX simply, securely,
and easily.
Family of Sound
Connectors
The SR30THX ’s are tuned with a flat, optimized power response,
to match the spectral balance of Snell front speakers. The use of
common Snell driver units and careful optimization provide a
direct mode frequency response that is an excellent match with
Snell front speakers.
Five-way gold-plated binding posts allow quick connection to
speaker cables and connections. Furthermore, removable jumpers
accommodate the use of SR30THX in 7.1 channel applications,
now or for future system upgrades.
HOW TO PLACE YOUR SR30THX SURROUNDS
Theory of Operation
Placement
Today, surround speakers are called upon to do one of two
disparate tasks. For some movies, you may want a surround to
create an all-enveloping diffuse field. Sound should arrive
at your two ears by bouncing numerous times off of all your
listening room walls.
Although often mistakenly referred to as rear speakers, your
surround speakers should ideally be placed to the left and right
of the listening area. In the diffuse mode, internal switching
converts the radiation pattern of the super surround to a fore
and aft radiating dipole (see Figure 1A). This null will reduce the
amount of direct sound at the listener’s ears. The radiation along
the length of the room will maximize the reflected sound heard.
For this reason, the speakers should be placed so that the
listener is within the null of the speaker. Efforts were made to
widen the angle of the response null so that the ”phasiness”
of regular dipoles and their critical positioning requirements
were reduced.
Conversely, with multichannel music, you may want the musical
stage to widen beyond the front speakers by having a spread of
five near-identical speakers over a semicircular arc around you.
You may want movie effects to pan solidly off the screen and to
the sides. This demands the side speakers to be well matched to
your front speakers both in frequency balance and in their more
focused directional characteristics.
Proper room placement is perhaps the most important factor
contributing to home theater sound quality. Take a few minutes
to place your speaker system correctly to ensure that it sounds
its best.
Until now, surround sound speaker designers had to choose
between satisfying one requirement or the other, or perhaps
choosing a middle-ground compromise. The SR30THX provides
a choice of surround sound modes, allowing performance to
be tailored to program material.
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HOW TO PLACE YOUR SR30THX SURROUNDS (CONT. )
Fig. 1A
Placement (cont.)
Switch set to Diffuse-THX Ultra2 Response
Listening Room Placement
Follow these guidelines for proper placement.
(Refer to Ideal SR30THX Placement diagram.)
Height
Place the surrounds at least 5 feet (1.5m) from the floor, yet
12 inches (30cm) from the ceiling. Higher is better.
Fig. 1B
Switch set to Direct Response
Placement
On the side walls, center surrounds to the listening area.
Boundaries
Keep the surrounds at least 12 inches (30cm) away from an
adjacent wall or a large obstacle.
7.1 Mode Placement
This option provides the greatest flexibility for speaker place-
ment. Please use the 7.1 Mode Placement diagram and 7.1 radia-
tion patterns (Fig. 1C), as guidelines for placing the SR30THX ’s.
Keep in mind as you move the speaker forward or backward from
the seating area, you are actually aiming a section (or half) of
the speaker at the listeners and creating a more direct sound
field. The other section of the speaker will be aimed at the rear
or front wall, thus creating a diffuse sound field for that
channel.
Fig. 1C
Switch set to 7.1 Mode (Jumpers Removed)
Coverage Area
In larger spaces, we recommend using one surround speaker
system for every three rows of seats (approximately 10 inches
between surround speakers).
Ideal SR30THX Placement for Direct/Diffuse Response
7.1 Mode Placement
Approximate
region for
7.1 usage
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WALL MOUNTING YOUR SR30THX SURROUNDS
The SR30THX is mounted via a unique slide-on mounting plate. The
plate is first screwed to the wall at the appropriate position and
Mounting on Wood and Other Solid Surfaces
then the speaker slides down, firmly locking in place. The plate must Use the supplied 2-inch #8 particleboard screws. For best results,
be mounted with the long groove toward the wall and the notch at predrill the hole with a 1/8-inch drillbit.
the bottom.
Mounting on Masonry, Adobe, and Similar
The enclosed mounting template will guide you in locating the
mounting screws. In addition, it will ensure the minimum
clearance to the ceiling as required by the mounting bracket.
Surfaces
Consult a knowledgeable installer about proper hardware. You
will obtain best results with #8 screws.
Please Note
Installation of surround speakers requires a thorough under-
standing of construction tools and procedures. We recommend
you consult a knowledgeable installer if you are unsure of the
physical properties behind your walls.
Mounting the Bracket When Using the
Machine Screws and Toggle Wings
1. Drill two 9/16-inch (13mm) holes using the included template.
If running wires behind the wall, make a hole for them as well.
2. Insert the machine screws through the bracket and thread
onto the toggle wings before penetrating the wall.
3. Level the bracket and tighten screws.
Mounting on Drywall, Paneling, or Other
Hollow Surfaces
Use the supplied 3-inch #10 machine screws and toggle wings.
The toggle wings require a 9/16-inch (13mm) hole. Do not
attempt to mount the SR30THX ’s to drywall with any of the
commonly available plastic anchors (push-in inserts).
4. Guide the wires through the back.
5. Place the SR30THX on the bracket and slide down until you
hear a locking ”click.”
6. Connect the wires.
CONNECTING THE SR30THX SURROUNDS
For Five-Channel Applications (including THX systems)
receiver or amplifier
left
right
Select either surround mode with the toggle switch. When used
with a THX receiver/processor, please select the "DIFFUSE-THX
ULTRA2 MODE".
left center right
surround surround
Connect a set of speaker cables to either set of inputs. You may
want to consider running a second set of speaker cables for each
surround if you think you may upgrade to a 7.1 channel system
in the near future.
left
surround
speaker
right
surround
speaker
left
speaker
center
speaker
right
speaker
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CONNECTING THE SR30THX SURROUNDS (CONT. )
For Seven-Channel Applications
Select the diffuse surround mode with the toggle switch.
Remove the gold jumper bars from the inputs.
Connecting with Bare Wire
Insert bare wire into holes and
tighten.
Connect the two sets of speaker cable to the appropriate
7.1 channel inputs.
Connecting with Banana
Plugs, Spade Lugs, or Pins
receiver or amplifier
The binding posts accept standard banana plugs and pins, and
can accommodate spade lugs up to 5/16 inch.
surround
side
side
left
rear
left
rear
right right
left center right
Warning! To prevent electrical shock, always switch off the
amplifier or receiver when making connections to the speaker
system.
Operation and Use
SR30THX
The diffuse mode is most appropriate when the inability to local-
ize sound is desirable. This should be perceived as a ”wall-of-
sound.” Music with side channels encoded with hall effects will
produce a feeling of envelopment. Surround encoded baseball
games will be heard as if the stadium were all around, with no
clear source of off-the-field, realism-enhancing effects.
left
right
surround
speaker
surround
speaker
left
speaker
center
speaker
right
speaker
Optional Relay Control
If you have purchased an SR30THX with relay control (or an
upgrade kit), the speaker's default setting is "DIFFUSE-THX
ULTRA2 MODE" = 0 Volts
Both music and movies will have instances when either ”direct”
or ”diffuse” surround sound will suit. Music recordings with
musicians in the side channels will most likely sound best in
”direct” (refer to Fig. 1B). However, if the side channels are used
to record the performance environment or audience sounds, the
”diffuse” mode may be best.
When a 12VDC control signal is applied, surround mode is
switched to "DIRECT MODE". Two unpolarized cables with .110"
terminals are provided at the rear for this purpose
Surround Processor Settings
Similarly, with movie soundtracks, some producers will use side
channels to pan discrete sources off-screen (e.g., jet fly-bys, etc.).
This material will be well served with the ”direct” mode. Other
movies will use the side channels to transport you to a remote
environment with street noises, crowd noises, etc. These may be
best reproduced in ”diffuse” mode.
When using a subwoofer:
Select the SMALL or NORMAL surround setting on your receiver
or processor. This routes all bass information (typically below
100Hz) from the surrounds to your subwoofer.
When not using a subwoofer:
Select the LARGE surround setting on your receiver or processor.
This routes all bass information to your surrounds.
The surround mode switch is conveniently located under the
right side of the grille to allow easy access. Swing the right side
of the grille outward to reveal the switch. It is located midway
up the cabinet within the matrix driver recess. Refer to the
switch diagram (on the top-right panel of the speaker) and the
figures to determine the appropriate setting. SR30THX provides a
unique experience with its ability to produce multiple polar pat-
Match the Sound Levels of Each Speaker
Your home theater system most likely includes a test signal that
simplifies level matching. Refer to the instructions provided with terns. You should take some time and experiment to best adapt
your surround sound electronics. this surround speaker to your listening habits.
7
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HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SR30THX SURROUNDS
u
Do not use abrasive cleaners or any cleaner containing chemi-
cals harsher than those found in glass cleaner.
Cabinet
Your speaker system has been finished with either a black or
white paint. Multiple layers of paint, along with hand sanding
between each coat, provide a durable and smooth finish.
Grille Cloth
u
You can remove the top and front grilles from the speaker
system and gently vacuum to remove dust.
u
To clean, use a soft terry cloth towel slightly dampened with
water or a mild detergent. The towel should be just damp
enough to wipe the surface clean without leaving a trail of
moisture.
LISTENING LEVELS AND POWER HANDLING
The power recommendation for the system assumes you will
operate the amplifier in a way that will not produce distortion.
All speakers can be damaged by a modest amplifier if it is
producing distortion. If you hear a gritty noise or other signs
of strain, turn down the volume. Prolonged or repeated opera-
tion of your speakers with a distorted signal can cause damage
that is not covered by the warranty.
LIMITED WARRANTY
For five years from the date of purchase, Snell Acoustics will
repair for the original owner any defect in materials or work-
manship that occurs in normal use of the SR30THX ’s without
charge for parts and labor.
If Service Seems Necessary
Contact the dealer from whom you purchased the speaker
systems. If that is not possible, call us at 978-373-6114, or
write to:
Snell Acoustics
Your responsibilities are to use the product according to the
instructions supplied, to provide safe and secure transportation
to an authorized Snell Acoustics service representative, and
to present proof of purchase from an authorized Snell dealer in
the form of your sales slip when requesting service.
143 Essex Street
Haverhill, MA 01832
We will promptly advise you of what action to take. If it is
necessary to return your speaker system to the factory, please
ship it prepaid. After it has been repaired, we will return it
freight prepaid in the U.S. or Canada.
Excluded from this warranty is damage that results from abuse,
misuse, accidents, shipping, repairs, or modifications by anyone
other than an authorized Snell Acoustics service representative.
This warranty is void if the serial number has been removed
or defaced.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also
have other rights that vary from state to state.
143 Essex Street
Haverhill, MA 01832
phone: 978-373-6114
fax: 978-373-6172
Manufactured under license from Lucasfilm Ltd. U.S. patent number 5,109,416. Foreign patents
pending. Lucafilm, THX and Ultra 2 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Snell Acoustics. All Rights Reserved.
©2002
email: info@snellacoustics.com
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Part #542-1006-1
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