SETUP INSTRUCTIONS FOR VMPS RM 30 AND RM 40 WITH OUTBOARD CROSSOVERS
1. The crossovers are packed separately from the speaker cabinets, in two black boxes. There are binding posts on one side (with the two sets strapped together for single amp operation), level controls for mid and treble on the top of the box, and wires for the bass, mid, and treble coming out of the other side of the crossover box. Pull these wires all the way out of the box so they reach the back of the speaker cabinet easily.
2. The speaker cabinet has three pair of binding posts marked BASS (at the bottom) MIDRANGE (in the center) and TREBLE (at the top). On the crossover box the thick wires on the bottom are the bass wires. Unscrew the binding post nut completely from the BASS input on the cabinet, negative (black) side first. Slip the black (neg) ring terminal from the bass crossover wire over the post and reattach the nut. Tighten with a ½” nut driver or pair of pliers, finger-tight is not good enough. However, be careful not to use a lot of pressure on the nut driver because you can snap off the binding posts, which are made of brass. Then remove the (+) or red nut from the bass binding post and slip the pos (red) bass wire ring terminal over the lug, reinstall the nut and tighten with the nut driver or pliers.
3. Similarly attach the mid wires from the crossover to the midrange inputs on the cabinet, using the above technique of removing the nuts from the binding posts one at a time, slipping the ring terminal over the post, and tightening the nut. Finally do the same with the treble wires and input binding posts. Make sure the wires are tight and not shorting against each other.
4. Next set the level controls on the top of the crossover box. The MID RANGE control is on the output side of the crossover box. Set it at 12 o’clock or directly straight up and down. Set the treble or HIGH RANGE control at 1 o’clock, or slightly clockwise of center.
5. Attach the speaker wires to the bottom set of inputs on the crossover box, red to red and black to black. Play the system and make sure all drivers are working. You will notice there is plastic film covering the tweeter diaphragm, which is there to prevent damage from air currents during packing and shipping. Remove this film. It is best to take the grill (waveguide) off when doing this, but put the waveguide back on as soon as you have taken off the film.
6. Toe the speakers in slightly towards the listening position for best center image. You can experiment with toe-in about one inch at a time. Speakers can be placed several feet out from a back or side wall. When you have optimum placement in the room, experiment with level control settings one notch at a time, one control at a time, listening for maximum clarity. The factory settings should be close to optimum. Pop out the round covers over the woofers during listening.
7. After you have listened to the system for a while you can experiment with the user-adjustable bass damping. Attached to the center of the PR in the slot in the bottom of the cabinet is a mass of putty which can be varied to change the warmth or tightness of the bass response, and also change tonal balance and clarity. To adjust the mass reach in to the slot and remove a fingernail full of putty, then listen. If you hear an improvement, repeat on the other speaker.
