MODEL VS4121 User's guide Mode d'emploi Guía del usuario Guia do Usuário The lightning flash with arrowhead, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. Caution: To prevent the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. Safety Instructions 13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. 14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped. CAUTION To prevent electric shock do not use this (polarized) plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure. WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. One-Year Limited Warranty Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. warrants to the end user that all of its PC audio, TV or gaming speaker systems are free from defects in material and workmanship in the course of normal and reasonable use for a term of one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is the exclusive and only warranty in effect relative to Altec Lansing PC audio, TV or gaming speaker systems and any other warranties, either expressed or implied, are invalid. Neither Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. nor any authorized Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. reseller is responsible for any incidental damages incurred in the use of the speakers. (This limitation of incidental or consequential damage is not applicable where prohibited.) Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc.'s obligation under this warranty does not apply to any defect, malfunction or failure as a result of misuse, abuse, improper installation, use with faulty or improper equipment or the use of the speaker systems with any equipment for which they were not intended. The terms of this warranty apply only to PC audio, TV or gaming speaker systems when such speakers are returned to the respective authorized Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. reseller where they were purchased. Under the terms of this warranty, the original consumer purchaser has certain legal rights and may have other rights, which vary worldwide. Connecting the Power Cord (AC Wall Socket) Long slot is neutral (ground) side. Insert the wide blade into the ground side slot. 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. Clean only with dry cloth. 7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. 8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that product heat. 9. Do no defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or groundingtype plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. 10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus. 11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. 12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over. The answers to most setup and performance questions can be found in the Troubleshooting guide. You can also consult the FAQs in the customer support section of our Web site at www.alteclansing.com. If you still can't find the information you need, please call our customer service team for assistance before returning the speakers to your retailer under their return policy. Customer service is available 7 days a week for your convenience. Our business hours are: Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight EST Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST 866-570-5702 Email: csupport@alteclansing.com For the most up-to-date information, be sure to check our Web site at www.alteclansing.com. © 2003 Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. Designed and engineered in the USA and manufactured in our ISO9002 certified factory. United States Patents 4429181 and 4625328 plus other patents pending. 1 VS4121 Three-Piece Powered Audio System PC AUDIO Connect the lime green audio input cable to your PC's sound card output jack (typically colored lime green, and usually labeled "1" or "Main"), as described in your PC/sound card documentation. PORTABLE AUDIO DEVICE (CD PLAYER, MP3 PLAYER, ETC.) Connect the lime green audio input cable to the line out of your portable device (if it has one), or to the device's headphone jack. GAME CONSOLE (PLAYSTATION® 2, XBOXTM, GAMECUBE®, ETC.) Connect the lime green audio input cable to the matching lime green connector on the console gaming Y-adapter, then attach the other ends of the Y-adapter (with red and white RCA connectors) to the corresponding red and white RCA audio outputs from your game console. Your game console documentation should help you determine which connections to use. Thank you for purchasing this Altec Lansing product. As the leader in Powered Audio products, Altec Lansing designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of Powered Audio systems featuring built-in amplifiers that can transform just about any audio source into a powerful sound system. Simply plug our speakers into your CD, MP3 and DVD player, or your PC, TV or video gaming system--and listen to the future of audio. Box Contents · 2 Satellites · Subwoofer · Manual · QCC · Console Gaming Y-adapter · 3.5 mm stereo audio cable Powering On 1. After all other connections are made, plug the AC power cord from the back of the subwoofer into an AC outlet. 2. Turn on the audio source. 3. Turn on the VS4121 speaker system by pushing the power button located on front of the right satellite . A Blue LED will light on the front right satellite when the power is ON. NOTE: To avoid hearing popping sounds when you turn on your VS4121 speaker system, always turn on your audio source first. Placing Speakers WARNING: The subwoofer is NOT magnetically shielded, so it must be kept at least 2 feet (0.6m) from PC monitors, TV sets, computer hard drives, or any other magnetic media (floppy discs, computer or audio tapes, etc.) The subwoofer is non-directional, so it doesn't need to be placed in any particular location. Putting it on the floor close to a wall or in a corner will maximize bass efficiency and be sure to provide it with proper ventilation. Arrange the satellite speakers to suit your listening tastes. The speakers are magnetically shielded, and can be placed close to a PC monitor or TV set without distorting the image. System Operation Master Volume The knob labeled VOL on the front of the right satellite is the master volume control for the speaker system. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the volume and counter-clockwise to decrease the volume. Treble The treble level for the system is located on the front of the right satellite. Rotating this control knob clockwise increases the treble, while rotating the control knob counter-clockwise decreases the treble. Bass The bass level for the subwoofer is located on the front of the right satellite. Rotating this control knob clockwise increases the bass, while rotating the control knob counter-clockwise decreases the bass. Making Connections WARNING: Do not insert the system's power plug into an AC outlet until all other connections are made. And turn off audio sources before connecting them to the VS4121's inputs. To ensure first-time operation as expected, please carefully follow the connection sequence described below. 1. Connect the right satellite speaker (with a thicker cable and orange DIN connector) to the orange input on the back of the subwoofer, labeled RIGHT. Note that the arrow on the DIN connector must face up. 2. Connect the left satellite speaker (with a thinner cable and a brown RCA connector) to the brown input on the back of the subwoofer, labeled LEFT. 3. Connect one end of the audio input cable (with lime green connectors at each end) to the matching lime green input plug on the back of the subwoofer, labeled INPUT. 4. Connect the other end of the audio input cable to your desired audio source. Headphones To use headphones with the system, plug them into the labeled jack on the side of the right satellite. When headphones are connected, both satellites and the subwoofer are muted. 2 System Specifications Power rating conforms to FTC Amplifier Rule #16 C.F.R. Part 432. Altec Lansing's superior sound comes from our proprietary technology, which utilizes custom-built, high-fidelity drivers, state-of-the-art equalization circuitry, and a harmonious mix of the following specifications: SUBWOOFER Driver: POWER REQUIREMENTS USA, Canada: Europe, United Kingdom, applicable Asian countries: UL/cUL/CE/NOM Approved 120 V AC @ 60 Hz One 61/2" long-throw woofer Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 97 dB Total Continuous Power: 31 Watts RMS Front Speakers: 6 Watts/channel @ 4 ohms @ 10% THD @ 150 20000 Hz 2 Channels Loaded Subwoofer: 19 Watts @ 4 ohms @ 10% THD @ 20 ­ 150 Hz Single Channel Loaded System Response: 25 Hz ­ 15 kHz (-10dB) Signal to Noise Ratio @ 1 kHz input: > 73 dB SATELLITE AMPLIFIED SPEAKERS Drivers (per satellite): Two 28mm microdrivers One 3" mid-range 230 V AC @ 50 Hz Troubleshooting Symptom LED is not lit. Possible Problem Power isn't turned on. AC cord isn't connected to the wall outlet. Solution Press Power button on right satellite. Check to see if the power on LED is illuminated on the right satellite. If not, connect AC power. If the subwoofer's AC power cord is plugged into a surge protector, make sure the surge protector is switched on. Plug another device into the wall outlet (same jack) to confirm the outlet is working. Verify the subwoofer's AC power cord is plugged into the wall outlet. Verify the Power button has been pressed by confirming the LED is illuminated. Surge protector (if used) isn't powered on. Wall outlet not functioning. No sound from one or more speakers. Power isn't turned on. Volume is set too low. Turn the volume knob clockwise to raise the volume. Check volume level on the computer sound card or alternate audio source device and set at mid-level. Audio cable isn't connected to audio source. Connect audio cable to the audio source. Make sure the signal cable is inserted firmly into the correct jack. Make sure the lime green 3.5 mm audio input cable is connected and fully inserted into the "line-out" or "audio-out" jack on your soundcard or other audio source. Test the speakers on another audio source by removing the lime green 3.5mm audio input cable from the audio source and connecting it to the "line-out" or headphone jack of a different audio source (e.g., Walkman, Discman or FM radio). Check all cables. Make sure they are connected to "line-out" or "audio-out" jack on your sound card or other audio source--and NOT "speaker-out." Check the Windows volume control and decrease if necessary. Unplug the lime green 3.5 mm audio input cable from the audio source. Then plug it into the headphone jack of an alternate source (e.g., portable CD, cassette player or FM radio). Decrease volume level. Adjust the Windows volume and balance controls to the center as a starting point, then use the speaker controller to adjust as necessary. .WAV and .MID files are often of poor quality; therefore distortion and noise are easily noticed with high-powered speakers. Try a different audio source such as a music CD. Audio cable is connected to wrong output on audio source. Problem with audio source. Crackling sound from speakers. Bad connection. Volume control in Windows is set too high. A problem with your audio source. Sound is distorted. Volume level set too high. Windows volume control is set too high. Sound source is distorted. 3 Symptom No sound from subwoofer. Possible Problem Bass volume is set too low. Sound source has little low-frequency content. Solution Adjust the b ...