ACI Subwoofer Setup

The Force XL, Titan XL and Maestro XL subwoofers may be integrated into virtually any quality audio or audio-video system!

Integrating a sub is a process that requires following ordered steps. You'll find it easy in some rooms/systems, and very time consuming in others. The key is to eliminate each variable one at a time. It really helps to have a test CD with sinewave or warble tones. That's why we include just such a disc free with purchase of our subs. Use of the setup CD is optional. Please refer to the directions for the Test CD.

• Placement
• Hookup
• Troubleshoot Setup
• Troubleshoot Subwoofer Hum

Step One: Initial Placement

Determine initial placement of the sub. This is often a matter of "where it will fit" in the room. You will also need to plug the sub into a 120-volt wall receptacle. An 8 1/2' power cord is supplied. If this is not long enough, you may use an extension cord of at least 16 gauge. Three of the best places to put your ACI subwoofer:

1. Place the sub in one of the corners behind the main speakers. A corner placement behind the main speakers usually yields the deepest, cleanest bass. As long as the subwoofer is correctly adjusted it will not be boomy or overbearing. The sub doesn't have to be placed "tightly" in the corner, just as near as possible.

2. Place the sub near the wall, behind the main speakers. Approximately 1/3 of the width of the room is often ideal.

3. Place the sub along one of the sidewalls. Approximately 1/3 of the length of the room is often ideal.

If you have the flexibility to try different placements, we'd encourage you to do so. Every room is different. Experimentation is the best way to find the best placement. One trick is to place your subwoofer in your normal listening position. Listen or take measurements from your subwoofer placement options to find the ideal position. For example, if your two options are the left front corner and somewhere along the right sidewall, you'll listen and or take measurements at these two positions.

Step Two: Hookup & Adjustment

Force XL & Titan XL Hookup

Maestro Hookup

Maestro XL Hookup

Troubleshooting Setup:

• If you try to use the sub to adjust for recordings that lack bass you'll go nuts, adjust the sub to well recorded music and leave it alone. You'll never get it perfect for all music because the music isn't recorded consistently!

• If the music seems to lack warmth, try adjusting the frequency control up just a bit at a time. Too much and the sub becomes easily audible by itself.

• If your main speakers have ports (vents) try stuffing them; this sometimes improves the transition drastically. The ports can easily be stuffed with cloth. Just stuff it so that you no longer get air pressure coming from the vent when the speaker is playing. Stuffing the port changes the response from fourth order to second order and yields a more gradual rolloff in the main speakers. It can make all the difference in the world!

Subwoofer Hum  

 If you have a problem with hum there are generally three possible causes:

1.   Ground loops are the most common cause of subwoofer hum.  Turn everything off and remove all connections from the sub to the rest of the system. Turn the sub back on. If the hum is still there, it might be a problem with the sub or a bad cable. If the hum is gone, the problem is probably caused by a ground loop elsewhere in the system, or improperly connected household wiring.

2.   Poor connections or RCA interconnects can cause hum.  If you move the shielded cable that connects the sub to your system and you hear a change in the hum it is likely you have poor shielding or a defective RCA plug. Replace the cable.

3.   Amplifier damage is the least likely cause of hum. However, if you have ruled out ground loops or a defective connecting cable, it is possible that there is a problem with the amplifier in your sub. See the following:

Occasional a Force XL or Titan XL will develop a slight mechanical hum. The windings on the transformer have heated up and cooled down and have shifted ever so slightly and now are causing the hum. 

It is simple to eliminate the hum. First, unplug the amp and let it set 5 minutes to allow all the energy stored in the capacitors to dissipate. Remove the six screws that hold the amp to the cabinet. You will notice that the round, torroidal transformer is held in place by a bolt that runs through the middle of the transformer and is terminated with a Phillips head in the middle of the heatsink area on the outside of the amp. You will need to loosen the nut with a wrench while holding the screw with a Phillips head screw driver. With the nut loose, rotate the transformer about 1/4" to the right or left and tighten the nut down onto the transformer. Secure the amp back into the cabinet, plug it in and you are ready to go.

ACI, Sound that Satisfies...Since 1977