gotham g213
TRANSCRIPT
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g213
Owners Manual
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1) Read the Instructions All saety and operating instructions should be
read beore the subwooer is operated.
2) Retain the Instructions Te saety and operating instructions should beretained or uture reerence.
3) Heed Warnings All warnings on the subwooer and in the operating
instructions should be ollowed.
4) Follow Instructions All operating and use instructions should
be ollowed.
5) Water and Moisture Te subwooer should NO be used near water or
example, near a bathtub, washbowl, sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement,
near a swimming pool, etc.
6) Ventilation Te subwooer should be situated so that its location or
position does not interere with its proper ventilation. For example, the
subwooer should not be situated on a bed, soa, rug, or similar surace
that may block airfow over the heatsink ns. I placing the subwooer in
a built-in installation, ensure that airfow to the heat sink at the rear o
the subwooer is not impeded. Do not cover the subwooer heatsink with
tablecloths, curtains, etc.
9) Heat and Flames Te subwooer should be situated away rom heat
sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, replaces, or other devices
which produce heat. Do not place candles on top o or near the subwooer.
10) Power sources Te subwooer should only be connected to a power supply o
the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the subwooer.
11) Power Cord Protection Power-supply cords should be routed so that they
are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against
them, paying part icular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit the subwooer.
Te lightning fash with arrowheadsymbol, within an equilateral triangle, isintended to alert the user to the presenceo uninsulated dangerous voltage within
the products enclosure that may be osu cient magnitude to constitute a risk oelectric shock to persons.
WARNING:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
CAUTIONRISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVEAMP PANEL OR SPEAKER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
Te exclamation point within anequilateral triangle is intended to alert theuser to the presence o important operatingand maintenance instructions in theliterature accompanying the product.
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12) Cleaning Te subwooer should be cleaned only as recommended in the
operating instructions.
13) Nonuse Periods Te power cord o the subwooer should be unplugged
rom the outlet when the subwooer is le unused or long periods o time.
14) Lightning and Power Surges We recommend that you disconnect the
subwooer rom the electrical outlet during electrical storms and/or recurringpower interruptions to prevent damage due to power surges.
15) Object or Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not all
into and liquids are not spilled onto the subwooer enclosure. Do not expose
the subwooer to dripping or splashing rom liquids. Do not place objects
lled with liquids on top o, or near the subwooer. For example: fower vases,
beverages, liquid-ueled lamps, etc.
16) Damage Requiring Service Te subwooer should be serviced by qualied
service personnel when:
a. the power-supply cord or plug has been damaged
b. objects have allen or liquid has been spilled into the subwooerc. the subwooer has been exposed to rain
d. the subwooer does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked
change in perormance
e. the subwooer has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged
. the subwooer drivers cone and/or suspension has been
physically damaged
17) Servicing Te user should not attempt to service the subwooer beyond
what is described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be
reerred to qualied service personnel.
18) Overloading Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or outlet stripsas this can result in a risk o re or electric shock.
19) Grounding Tis subwooer is supplied with a three-prong, grounded
power cord. Precautions should be taken so that the grounding means o the
subwooer are not deeated. Deeating the grounding prong on the subwooer
power cord could increase the risk o electric shock and could result in
permanent damage to the subwooers electronics.
WARNING
THIS SUBWOOFER IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HIGH SOUNDPRESSURE LEVELS. PLEASE EXERCISE RESTRAINT IN ITS OPERATION TOPROTECT YOUR HEARING FROM PERMANENT DAMAGE.
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FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENTNOE: Tis equipment has been tested and ound to comply with the limits o Part 15 o the FCCRules. Tese limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmul intererence ina residential installation. Tis equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio requency energyand, i not installed in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmul intererence to radiocommunications. However, there is no guarantee that intererence will not occur in a particularinstallation. I this equipment does cause harm ul intererence to radio or television reception,which can be determined by turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try tocorrect the intererence by one or more o the ollowing measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent rom that to which thereceiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/V technician or help.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Important Saety Instructions: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Introduction:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Product Overview: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Placing your Gotham in Your Listening Room: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Unpacking your Gotham: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Front Control Panel Layout: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Rear Control and Connector Panel Layout: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Front Panel Controls in Detail : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17
Connecting your Gotham(s): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-25
Recommended Setup Procedure: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-30
Frequently Asked Questions: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Cleaning Your Gotham: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
roubleshooting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Limited Warranty / Service Inormation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Specications: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
INTRODUCTIONCongratulations on your purchase o a JL Audio Gotham powered
subwooer system. Tis product has been critically
engineered to deliver exceptional perormance in your home
theater or audio system or many years to come.
As a company, we are intensely committed to core research into
high-perormance loudspeaker and amplier technologies. JL Audios long-
excursion subwooer driver designs are widely considered as reerence
standards or linear behavior and high output. We have also ocused our
eorts to create powerul amplier and signal-processing technologies
specically aimed at delivering exceptional low-requency perormance.
Your Gotham combines these core disciplines within a beautiully
craed package to deliver an unparalleled listening experience.
JL AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDED
IN GOTHAM SUBWOOFERS
DMA-Optimized Motor SystemDMA is JL Audios proprietary DynamicMotor Analysis system aimed atimproving dynamic motor behavior. As aresult o DMA optimization, loudspeakermotors remain linear in orce over an
extreme range o excursion and alsomaintain a highly stable xed magneticeld over a wide power range. Tis leadsto vastly reduced distortion and aithullyreproduced transients... or put simply:tight, clean, articulate bass.
OverRoll Surround
(U.S. Patent #5,687,247 and #5,949,898)Te OverRoll surround spans overthe drivers mounting fange, util izingavailable diameter wasted in conventionalspeakers. Tis allows the use o the widerroll necessary to control high-excursionswithout sacricing precious cone area.
W-Cone (U.S. Patent #6,496,590)Te W-Cone is a unit-body coneassembly that delivers astonishing conestiness with minimal mass.
Floating-Cone Attach Method(U.S. Patent #6,501,844)
Tis assembly technique ensures propersurround geometry in the assembledspeaker or better excursion control anddynamic voice coil alignment.
Plateau-Reinorced Spider Attachment
(U.S. Patent #6,118,884)Tis high-integrity suspension attachment
relieves stress rom the spider material athigh-excursions or enhanced reliability.
Elevated Frame Cooling echnology
(U.S. Patent #6,219,431 and #6,229,902)Delivers cool air, through slots direct lyabove the top-plate, to the voice coil o thespeaker. Tis enhances power handlingand sound quality by minimizingdynamic parameter shis and powercompression.
Radially Cross-Drilled Pole Piece
(U.S. Patent #6,243,479)Tis innovative venting system greatly
enhances thermal d issipation and powerhandling by directing air fow onto thevoice coil ormer, working in conjunctionwith the Elevated Frame technology.
High-Damping Feedback Circuit(U.S. Patent #6,441,685)
Tis proprietary, discrete control circuitdesign allows our Class D switchingampliers to maintain an excellentdamping actor or improved transientbehavior and delity.
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We sincerely thank you or your purchase and invite you to read this
manual thoroughly in order to achieve the highest level o perormance with
your Gotham subwooer system. Enjoy.
PRODUCT OVERVIEWJL Audio Gotham subwooers combine two state-o-the-art JL Audio
subwooer drivers and an electronics/amplier package within a highlyoptimized enclosure to deliver an exceptional listening experience in your home
theater or home audio system.
Te subwooer drivers in your Gotham subwooer system are capable o
exceptional linear excursion without distress or audible distortion. Tese
exceptional drivers enable your Gotham to reproduce powerul low-requency
events with stunning impact and unprecedented accuracy. Derived rom JL
Audios legendary W7 design platorm, the Gotham drivers oer peak-to-peak
excursion capabilities well in excess o 3 inches (76mm) to comortably handle
the dynamics o the most demanding program material.
o get the most rom this long excursion driver platorm, prodigious amounts
o controlled power are needed. Our electronics engineering team conducted an
intense analysis o typical program material and its dynamic demands in orderto balance current draw and actual output power requirements relative to the
system's impedance characteristics. Aer careul study, a precisely engineered
switching amplier employing patented eedback technology was created. Tis
advanced design is capable o unclipped output voltage equivalent to 3800 watts
o RMS power when reerenced to the nominal loudspeaker impedance, allowing
us to take ull advantage o the drivers' ull excursion envelope.
Te beautiul cabinet enclosing the workings o your Gotham is also the result
o careul engineering. o contain the pressures created by the Gotham driver, we
utilize massive, berglass construction with extensive internal bracing eatures
and advanced assembly techniques.
Your listening room is the other enclosure that aects the way your bass will
sound. All rooms create a specic sonic signature, which must be eectivelymanaged to achieve well-balanced low requency perormance. o aid in this
process, the Gotham includes an extensive set o signal processing tools aimed
at optimizing your Gothams perormance within your listening space. Tese
eatures include JL Audios exclusive Automatic Room Optimization system.
As you can see rom this brie introduction, there is a lot o technology in this
subwooer. Te contents o this manual will explain the eatures, guide you through
the setup and tuning o your Gotham subwooer and help you achieve your
ultimate low-requency listening experience.
I you require assistance, we urge you to contact your authorized
JL Audio retailer or expert setup advice and service.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANT: IT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA TO READ THE NEXT SECTIONBEFORE UNPACKING YOUR GOTHAM. UNPACKING THE SUBWOOFER NEAR
ITS FINAL LOCATION IS RECOMMENDED.
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WARNINGWARNING:THE GOTHAM IS EXTREMELY HEAVY (405 LBS. / 184 KG) AND IS
VERY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE! PEOPLE WITH BACK PROBLEMS OR MEDICALCONDITIONS THAT PRECLUDE EXERTION SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO
UNPACK OR MOVE A GOTHAM.
WARNING:THE UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED PRECISELY.
FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN PRODUCT DAMAGE AND/OR INJURY.
WARNING: FAILURE TO HANDLE A GOTHAM CORRECTLY DURINGUNPACKING AND PLACEMENT CAN RESULT IN EXPENSIVE DAMAGE WHICH
IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
IMPORTANT: YOU WILL NEED AT LEAST TWO STRONG PEOPLE TO MOVE,UNPACK AND PLACE THE GOTHAM. (THREE PEOPLE ARE RECOMMENDED.)
IMPORTANT: BEFORE PLACING A GOTHAM IN YOUR LISTENING SPACE,MAKE SURE THAT THE FLOOR STRUCTURE IS CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING
THE WEIGHT OF THE PRODUCT. CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERIF NECESSARY.
IMPORTANT
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PLACING YOUR GOTHAM IN YOUR LISTENING ROOM:Your listening room or theater is an integral part o your sound reproduction
system. Te physical dimensions o the room and its urnishings, materials, doors
and windows play an important role in dening how your system sounds.
When you place a sound source in an enclosed rectangular space, standing
waves are created, resulting rom the relationship between the sounds
wavelength and your rooms dimensions. In other words, standing waves result
rom sound energy that is trapped in the room as it bounces back and orthbetween opposing walls. Standing waves in the room create acoustic peaks and
dips where the sound is either louder or soer, based solely on your physical
position in the room. Energy also builds up at the rooms boundaries, creating
exaggerated bass response at certain requencies. Tese undamental room
resonances are cal led room modes.
Te moral o this mode story is to try and avoid seating positions in standing
wave peak or dip regions. It is highly recommended that you place your listening
chairs in areas where modal peaks and dips are moderate and do not reinorce
one another. Te two most obvious areas to avoid are those near the exact center
o the room and those close to any o the rooms walls.
Just as your listening seat can be in a peak or dip region, so can your
subwooer. When placed in a room corner, a subwooer maximally excites therooms mode structure, creating the strongest output with the ewest dips. When
the subwooer is pulled away rom a corner or wall, the room modes are excited
less, which can alter the sound at your listening seat.
Be sure to experiment with both your listening seat position and subwooer
position to nd the best solution. Careul experimentation usually leads to a
superior sounding system. Use our setup suggestions (illustrated on the opposing
page and the ollowing pages) to get you started.
I you cannot avoid placing your soa against the back wall or your
subwooer in a less than optimal position, all is not lost. Your Gothams
Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.) System can dramatically improve
these less-than-ideal situations.
We recommend that you begin by placing your Gotham in the ront o the
room, near the ront lef or right speaker. Placing it directly in the ront corner
o the room will produce the maximum number o peaks and the minimum
number o dips in the bass response. Tis can be advantageous because the
Gothams A.R.O. system can correct the primary peak very eectively, whereas
dips in response cannot be corrected via equalization. Dips in response can only
be minimized via careul subwooer and listener placement.
Placing the Gotham near solid walls will reinorce bass response and pulling
it away rom solid walls will decrease bass. Increasing the distance between the
subwooer and the walls may help to smooth upper bass response in some rooms.
We recommend that you avoid placing the Gotham near windows to prevent
rattling and sound transmission to the outside world.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR HANDLING THE GOTHAMTe Gotham is extremely heavy and can be di cult to handle. Failure to
handle it correctly during unpacking and placement can result in expensive
damage which is not covered under warranty.
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M O RE INT ENSE
SMOOTHER
RECOMMENDED
SUBWOOFER
PLACEMENT
ZONES
(For Single Subwoofer)
SMOOT
HER
SMOO
THER
MORE INTENSE
SMOOTHER
SMOOT
HER
SMOOTHER
COMPROMISED SEATING POSITIONS(Results in weaker, uneven bass performance)
BEST SEATING POSITIONS(Most accurate bass performance)
COMPROMISED SEATING POSITIONS(More intense, but less accurate bass performance)
WORSTSEAT
CENTERLINE OF ROOM
APPROX. 1/3 OF TOTAL ROOM
LENGTH AWAY FROM BACK WALL
CLOSE TO BACK WALL OF ROOM
Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for One Gotham
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Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Two GothamsUsing Two Gothams
When using two Gothams, try
placement near the ront corners o the
room, at diagonally-opposite corners
o the room, or at the center points o
opposing walls as shown at right.
Experimentation with
subwooer and listenerplacement is recommended to
achieve the best results the
benets can be substantial.
High-resolution measurements
and proessional system calibration
are recommended or the best possible
results & system perormance.
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Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Three Gothams
Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Four Gothams
Using Three or Four Gothams
Research indicates that the
smoothest bass response or a large
listening area can be achieved using
our subwooers, placing one at
the midpoint o each o the our
walls (although using two or three
subwooers can be almost as good).Experimentation with
subwooer and listener
placement is recommended to
achieve the best results the
benets can be substantial.
High-resolution measurements
and proessional system calibration
are recommended or the best possible
results & system perormance.
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UNPACKING YOUR GOTHAMNow that you have determined your Gothams position in the room, you can
proceed with unpacking it near its intended location.
JLA_SKU#01121
Detailed instructions on unpacking the subwoofer:
1. Move the carton near its intended location in the room.
2. Open the top o the carton (observe markings on carton) and remove all o the
items included in the center o the box.
3. With the help o others and using the carton handles, gently lay the carton toone side holding the faps back and making sure a carton side without handles
rests acing up.
4. Again, holding the carton faps back and employing the help o others, careully
fip the box onto its top (open end). Te box will be upside-down and should
have all o the faps out rom underneath it.
5. Pull the carton straight up until it clears the subwooer and place to one side.
6. Remove the one-piece oam insert rom the top o the wooer and place
in the carton.
11. ilt the subwooer orward (toward its speaker/grille side) to remove the rear
split-oam insert and place in the carton.
12. ilt the subwooer in the opposite direction (towards its silver heatsink) to
remove the remaining split-oam insert and place in the carton.
13. Remove the protective cloth cover and place in the carton.
14. Install one o the included sliding discs under each o the Gothams three eet
to acilitate pushing/positioning the subwooer.
Te Gotham box should be unpacked closeto where the subwooer will be placed. Tesubwooer is packed upside down. Tis boxmust be fipped over CAREFULLY andEXACLY AS DESCRIBED to remove thesubwooer, minimize eort and avoid therisk o damaging the product.
IMPORTANT: DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE GOTHAM SUBWOOFER, PLEASEEXERCISE CAUTION WHILE UNPACKING AND POSITIONING IT TO PREVENTINJURY. ENLIST THE HELP OF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO FACILITATE THE
PROCESS. TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF INJURY, BEND YOUR KNEES AND LIFTWITH YOUR LEGS, NOT YOUR BACK.
IMPORTANT! PLEASE RETAIN ALL PACKAGING FOR SAFETRANSPORTATION OF THE SUBWOOFER AND FOR ANY FUTURE SERVICE.
* Te Gotham subwooer ships in a protective cloth cover that is not pictured in the unpackinginstructions above. Use the orientation o the Gotham above as a guide.
2
1
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT
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Front Control Panel
Te labeled Figure below depicts the ront control panel o a Gotham subwooer.
A.R.O.
page 14-15
Power
page 14
Input Mode
page 15Level Mode
page 15
Master Level
page 16
Lights
page 16
LP Filter
page 16
LP freq. (Hz)
page 16
e.l.f. trim (dB)
page 17
phase (deg.)
page 17
Polarity
page 17
calibration mic.
page 14
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Rear Controls and Connectors
Te labeled Figure below depicts the rear panel o a Gotham subwooer.
Balanced Inputspage 18
Unbalanced
Inputspage 19
IEC-Style AC
Connector
page 21
Output to
Slave Connector
page 21
Input Mode
Switches
page 20
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FRONT PANEL CONTROLS IN DETAILPower Switch
Te Power switch determines the operational readiness o the Gotham
subwooer and should be the only switch used to turn the Gotham on and o.
Do not use a power strip switch, switched outlet or any other external switch as
these may result in undesirable and potentially damaging transient pops. Do not
unplug the Gothams AC power cord while the unit is turned on.
Te power switch has three positions:On: Te Gotham is ully powered at all times. Front panel lights are on
unless they have been turned o via the Lights switch.
O: Te Gothams internal power amplier is powered down. In this state,
a negligible current draw will exist or operating the main power relays. All ront
panel lights are o.
Auto: Te Gotham will power up its internal amplier when an audio signal
is present at any o its inputs and will power down the internal amplier i no
signal has been detected at its inputs or thirty (30) minutes. When dormant,
the Gotham will draw a small amount o current to power its signal-sensing
circuitry. Front panel lights will turn o when the Gotham powers down and
light when the Gotham powers up (unless they have been turned o via the
Lights switch).
Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.)
A powerul eature o the JL Audio Gotham subwooers is their innovative
Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.) technology. Tis one-touch system
serves to eliminate the single largest acoustic response peak in your home
theater at the main listening seat, greatly improving the in-room low-requency
response. Calibration o the A.R.O. system is ully automated and takes only a
ew minutes to accomplish. Please consult the next section o this manual or
details on how to use the A.R.O. system
Using the included JL Audio calibration microphone, the A.R.O. calibration
procedure takes less than three minutes. In brie, you will connect the included
microphone to the Calibration Mic. input, press the Calibrate button, and thenhold the microphone at ear height in your main listening seat during the test.
A series o tones will be played through the Gotham subwooer, and the room
response will be automatically measured, analyzed and equalized to eliminate
the single largest acoustic room response peak at your listening seat. For detailed
instructions on the A.R.O. setup procedure, reer to pages 29-30.
Calibration Mic. Input
Tis input is or connecting the supplied JL Audio calibration microphone to
the Gotham subwooer. Connect one end o the supplied cable to the microphone
and the other end to this jack prior to using the A.R.O. system. Te A.R.O.
system is specically calibrated to this microphone and its connection scheme
is specic to the supplied microphone. Te calibration sequence will not operate
when a dierent microphone is connected or i no microphone is connected.
Demo Button
Te Demo button triggers a 20 second long tone sequence that briefy
demonstrates the signals used during A.R.O. calibration. Te Demo unction is
useul or showcasing the output capability o the Gotham and to veriy that the
Gotham (or multiple Gothams) are operational during system troubleshooting.
IMPORTANT
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o activate the demonstration sequence, press and hold the Demo button or
approximately 2 seconds (this built in delay helps prevent accidental activation).
Pressing and holding the Demo button will activate the demo sequence even i
the A.R.O. deeat unction is active (see below.) Once the demonstration sequence
is complete, the Gotham will return to its previously set operating condition.
Defeat Button
Te Deeat button turns o or deeats the A.R.O. calibration systemand equalizer. Use this eature when you want to be sure that the A.R.O.s
equalization is not in the signal chain. You can also use the Deeat button
to audition both the normal and the A.R.O. optimized settings in your home
theater room. Tis is a great way to audibly veriy what eect the A.R.O. has in
your room.
I Demo or Calibrate is pressed while the deeat unction is active,
Deeat is automatically canceled. No other ront panel controls will alter the
A.R.O. Deeat state.
Calibrate Button
Te Calibrate button activates the ARO test sequence. Te calibration routine
will not start unless the supplied JL Audio test microphone is plugged into theGotham subwooer. Once the calibration routine is complete, the green light
in the center o the Calibrate button will light and remain illuminated. Tese
settings are stored by the Gotham and will remain in memory even i power is
disconnected.
During the ARO test sequence the Calibrate buttons green LED will alert the
user to two special conditions:
1. Subwooer level too low or A.R.O. calibration via slow blinking,
approximately one blink per second
2. Subwooer level too high or A.R.O. calibration, approximately three
blinks per second.
Input Mode Indicators
Te Input Mode indicator LEDs show the input mode, either Master or
Slave, selected by the switch on the Gothams back panel (unless the Lights
switch is set to o). For urther details, see page 20.
Level Mode
Te two-position Level Mode switch allows you to select between the
ollowing modes:
Reerence
In this mode, the Master Level control knob has no eect on the Gothams
output level. Use this setting i you will primarily be controlling the subwooer
level via your receiver or preamplier/processor. For those o us with small
children or overenthusiastic teenagers, this mode o operation will prevent direct
manipulation o the Master Level.
Variable
In this mode, the Master Level control knob determines the output level o the
Gotham subwooer. Tis mode is also useul when level matching the Gotham
subwooer to a pair o stereo speakers in a two-channel system. Variable level
operation is needed or proper A.R.O. calibration.
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Master Level Knob
Te Master Level Knob is used to control the output level o the Gotham when
the Variable Level mode is selected on the ront control panel.
When rotated ully counter clockwise, the Gothams output will be ully
muted. When at the 0 or straight up position, the Variable gain level matches
the Reerence level setting. When turned ully clockwise, the Gothams output
level is 15 dB higher than the Reerence setting.
Lights
Te Lights selector switch allows the user to select one o three indicator
light modes.
O turns o all o the ront panel lighting at all times.
Dim sets all o the ront panel lighting to a low brightness level when the
Gotham is turned on.
On sets all o the ront panel lighting to ull brightness level when the
Gotham is turned on.
LP Filter
Te Low Pass (LP) Filter selector switch determines the operating mode o the
Gothams built-in low pass lter.
O deeats the low pass lter, completely removing this circuit rom the
signal path.
12 dB sets the roll o slope o the low pass lter to a 12 dB per octave slope
(Butterworth alignment).
24 dB sets the roll o slope o the low pass lter to a 24 dB per octave slope
(Linkwitz-Riley alignment).
Te 24 dB setting more aggressively attenuates high requencies above the
LP Frequency setting (see below). I you are using the Gothams built-in low passlter, experiment with the LP Filter slope setting to achieve the best transition
to your satellite speakers. I you preer to use the lters and bass management
eatures in your receiver or preamplier, deeat the
on-board lter by selecting the O position.
LP Freq
Te Low Pass (LP) Frequency selector knob allows the user to choose the roll-
o requency o the Gothams internal low pass lter. Te requency is variable
between 30 Hz (ull counter-clockwise) to 130 Hz (ull clockwise). Tis knob
does not aect the input signal in any way i the LP Filter switch is set to O.
80 Hz is a commonly used lter requency and usually serves as a good starting
point or adjustments.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANT: WHEN TROUBLESHOOTING OR CALIBRATING THE A.R.O.
FEATURE, MAKE SURE THAT THE LIGHTS SWITCH IS SET TO DIM or ON.
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E.L.F. Trim
Te Extreme Low Frequency (e.l.. trim) knob allows the user to apply
a certain amount o signal equalization at 25 Hertz (extremely low bass). At
ull counterclockwise rotation, the signal at 25 Hz is cut by 12 dB. At 0 the
equalizer is set fat or zero contribution to the signal. At ull clockwise rotation,
the signal at 25 Hz is boosted by 3 dB.
Te E.L.F. rim eature is useul or tailoring the Gothams very low
requency output or your particular room. Adding some boost can make certainmaterial more exciting. Using the cut unction can help to compensate or room
or boundary gain in the low requencies. Room boundaries and the rooms
nite (limited) size naturally cause very low requencies to be boosted relative to
other parts o the signal. As such, using the E.L.F. rim eature to cut the lowest
requencies can help to tame bloat or unnatural sounding low bass in small to
medium sized rooms (and can also reduce unwanted vibrations in the room or
throughout the house).
Polarity
Te Polarity switch allows the user to select between normal (0 deg) and
reversed (180 deg) signal polarity. Te Polarity switch will primarily aect the
small requency range around the crossover point between your subwooer andsatellite speakers.
Unlike the Phase control, which eectively adds time delay, the Polarity
switch produces an instantaneous reversal o the signals amplitude peaks.
For example, i at a given reerence point a sine wave has an amplitude peak,
by fipping the phase switch you instantly convert that peak into a trough
or amplitude dip. Because the eect o the Polarity switch is immediate, it
compliments the operation o the Phase control and cannot be replaced by it.
When placing your Gotham in the room, experiment with the Polarity switch
beore adjusting the Phase control. Either position o the Polarity switch may
provide a smoother transition between your Gotham subwooer and the satellite
speakers. Use source material with good mid and upper bass content or evaluation.
Phase
Te Phase control knob allows the user to adjust the timing o the
subwooer output relative to the main speakers. Te Phase control will primarily
aect the small requency range around the crossover point between your
subwooer and satellite speakers. Te Phase controls labels are reerenced to 80
Hz since this is the most common crossover point between satellite speakers and
a subwooer. Phase settings between 0 degrees (ull counter-clockwise rotation)
and 280 degrees (ull clockwise rotation) are possible.
Speaker, subwooer, and listening seat positions vary greatly in home
theater installations. Since physical positioning o speakers relative to the room
boundaries and each other greatly aects the perceived quality o sound output,
sometimes it is helpul to delay the subwooer output. Tis is exactly what occurs
when you turn the Phase control beyond 0 degrees.
Once your Gotham has been placed in your listening room to give you the
smoothest overall sound and aer you have determined the optimum Polarity
switch position (see preceding section), experiment with the position o the Phase
control. Using amiliar source material with good mid and upper bass content,
adjust the Phase control and listen or better dened mid-bass and a smoother
transition between the subwooer and satellite speaker systems. I no single
setting sounds better than another, leave the Phase control at 0 degrees.
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CONNECTING YOUR GOTHAMBalanced Inputs
I your home-theater receiver or preamplier/processor provides balanced
outputs, the Gothams balanced inputs are the preerred connection. Balanced
connections are used extensively in proessional studios and sound reinorcement
applications or a number o very good reasons. Besides ensuring proper grounding
between components, balanced signal transmission is designed to cancel induced
cable noise rom the surrounding environment (particularly important with longcable runs). Te bottom line is that your system will be ar less likely to exhibit
humming or other extraneous noises i you use balanced connections.
Te Gotham subwooers eature individual le and right balanced input
connections with XLR combo jacks. Tese special jacks accept either a
three-pin male XLR connector or a tip-ring-sleeve (RS) 1/4-inch (6.3 mm)
connector or compatibility with a wide range o equipment.
For systems with a mono subwooer or LFE channel connection, only the
jack labeled Le or Mono will be used. Tis applies to most modern multi-
channel receivers and preamplier/processors. Separate le and right input jacks
are provided or systems without a dedicated mono subwooer connection. Tis
typically applies to two-channel audio equipment.
Appropriate balanced cables are available rom your JL Audio dealer and arenot included with the Gotham.
echnical Notes:
Do not use the balanced inputs with unbalanced signals via adaptors.
Te unbalanced inputs o the Gotham are optically isolated and preerable in
situations where only an unbalanced signal source is available.
Input connectors are congured according to Audio Engineering Society
recommendations or balanced signal cables as ollows:
XLR Connection
Pin 1: Shield
Pin 2: Positive
Pin 3: NegativeRS connection:
ip: Positive
Ring: Negative
Sleeve: Shield
Te Le and Right inputs on the Gothamare internally summed to a single monochannel. Since the Gotham is inherently a
mono or single channel device, you canuse the Le and Right inputs or the masterGotham and then distribute the summedmono signal to additional slave Gothamsin the system.
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT: IF YOUR RECEIVER OR PREAMPLIFIER/PROCESSOR DOES NOTHAVE XLR OR 1/4-INCH TRS BALANCED OUTPUTS, PLEASE REFER TO THE
UNBALANCED INPUTS SECTION ON PAGE 19 FOR INPUT CONNECTIONINFORMATION. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONNECT UNBALANCED OUTPUTS
TO THE GOTHAMS BALANCED INPUTS VIA ADAPTORS.
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Unbalanced Inputs
Te Gotham subwooer eatures individual le and right unbalanced RCA-
type input connectors. Tese are the most commonly used connectors or home
audio applications and must be used i your receiver or preamplier/processor
does not provide balanced outputs. While unbalanced connections are not as
noise-immune as a balanced connection, Gotham subwooers employ optical
isolation on the unbalanced inputs to minimize the possibility o noise in your
system.For systems with a mono subwooer or LFE channel connect ion, only
the RCA-type jack labeled Le or Mono will be used. Tis applies to most
modern multi-channel receivers and preamplier / processors. Separate le and
right RCA-type input jacks are provided or systems without a dedicated mono
subwooer connection. Tis typically applies to two-channel audio equipment.
echnical Notes:
When balanced outputs are not available on the signal source, you must
use the RCA-type unbalanced inputs. Gothams eature optical isolation
circuitry on the unbalanced inputs to minimize the likelihood o ground
loop induced noise.
Connections are industry-standard or unbalanced signal cables as ollows:RCA-type connection:
ip: Positive
Sleeve: Negative
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT: IF NOISE EXISTS AFTER CONNECTION, GOTHAMS ALLOWFOR GROUNDING OR ISOLATION OF THE UNBALANCED INPUTS. PLEASEREFER TO THE INPUT MODE SWITCHES SECTION ON PAGE 20 OF THIS
MANUAL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON MINIMIZING NOISE.
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Input Mode Switches:
wo switches are located on the rear panel to control unbalanced signal
grounding and master/slave operation.
Grounded / Isolated Switch
Te Grounded / Isolated Input Mode switch aects only the unbalanced
RCA inputs and is designed to acilitate a quiet, hum-ree connection to your
audio or home theater system. Tis eature is included to deal with the signalgrounding issues oen encountered in home theater systems when several
components rom dierent manuacturers are interconnected.
Te Gotham ships with this switch in the Isolated mode. I, with all system
components connected and turned on (but no source material playing), you hear
a continuous low-requency hum through your Gotham, fip this switch to the
Grounded position and evaluate the dierence in the noise level. Use whichever
switch position provides the least hum or noise.
Master / Slave Switch
Te Gothams are designed to easily accommodate the implementation
o multiple subwooers in your home theater system through a master/slave
connection chain. Tis method allows you to utilize the signal processing
eatures o one Gotham to centrally control multiple Gothams in the room.
Master/Slave unctionality also makes it possible or the A.R.O. system to
optimize the response o a multiple subwooer installation.
Te Gotham ships with this switch in the Master position. I you are usinga single Gotham you will use the Master position and you need not concern
yoursel with this section any urther.
I your installation incorporates two or more Gothams, you will designate one
Gotham as the Master and all others in the system as Slave subwooers via
the Master/Slave switch on the rear amplier panel o each Gotham. LEDs on
the ront panel o the Gotham are provided to indicate whether the Master or
Slave mode is selected or a given subwooer.
From the Gotham operating in Master mode, the Output to Slave signal
carries any signal processing selected on the Master Gotham (including the
Master Level setting and A.R.O. processing) to urther Gothams operating in
Slave mode. Slave subwooer signal processing and level controls will be
inoperable. In this mode, the user does not have to worry about level, crossover,
and other settings or the slave subwooers.
echnical Notes:
Selecting the Slave position deeats all user-denable signal processing and
the master level control. Because o this, there are some special situations in
which you may want to operate a single Gotham in Slave mode. I you are
utilizing outboard signal processing and level-matching controls, activating
the Slave mode will prevent anyone rom aecting system parameters with
the manual controls on the Gotham.
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT CHANGING ANY COMPONENT IN THEOPTIMIZED SYSTEM RECEIVER, AMPLIFIER, DVD PLAYER, ETC. COULD
ALTER THE SIGNAL GROUNDING SCHEME AND CAUSE HUM TO APPEAR IN
YOUR PREVIOUSLY QUIET SYSTEM. IF YOU ADD OR CHANGE AN UPSTREAMCOMPONENT IN YOUR HOME THEATER SYSTEM, YOU MAY NEED TO
REVISIT THIS INPUT MODE SETTING ON THE GOTHAM SUBWOOFER FOROPTIMUM NOISE PERFORMANCE.
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Output to Slave Connector
I you are operating more than one Gotham subwooer in one home theater
system, you wil l designate one Gotham as the Master (see page 20), and then eedsignal rom it to the remaining Slave Gothams via this balanced XLR output.
Te Output to Slave cable can be connected to the Le or Mono balanced
XLR input on the next Gotham. When a Gotham is in Slave Mode, its Output
to Slave connection can be used to pass signal to urther Gothams operating in
Slave mode.
Te Output to Slave connector is designed to be used as ollows:
1) From the Master Gothams Output to Slave connector to the rst
Slave Gothams Le or Mono XLR balanced input.
2) From the rst Slave Gothams Output to Slave connector to the second
Slave Gothams Le or Mono XLR balanced input.
3) From the second Slave Gothams Output to Slave connector to the thirdSlave Gothams Le or Mono XLR balanced input. Etc, etc. (up to ten
Gothams may be connected in this conguration).Appropriate balanced
cables with XLR terminations are available rom your JL Audio dealer and
are not included with the Gotham.
echnical Notes:
Te Output to Slave signal carries any signal processing selected on the
Master Gotham (including the Master Level setting and A.R.O. processing)
to urther Gothams operating in Slave mode.
From Gothams operating in Slave mode, the Output to Slave signal is an
exact, buered replica o the balanced input signal, making this method o
signal distribution preerable to using Y-adapters or splitters. Use only shielded, connection cables with high quality XLR connectors or
Master/Slave connection. Never use unbalanced cables with adaptors.
IEC-Style AC Connector
Te IEC-style AC cord receptacle receives the heavy-gauge, 6 . (1.8 m) long,
power cord included with your Gotham subwooer. Your Gotham should only
be powered rom a 120 V AC, 60 Hz outlet. Do not use any AC power cord other
than the one supplied with the Gotham.
Te Gotham subwooer is a very powerul device and can draw a lot o current
when operated at high output levels. We recommend that a dedicated 15A or 20A
circuit be provided or each Gotham in the system and that these not be shared
with other electrical devices in the room. I too many components are connected
with a Gotham subwooer to one electrical outlet, you will likely trip a circuit
breaker during very demanding program material.
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT: PLEASE REFER TO THE SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAMS
ON PAGES 26-29 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON USING THE INPUT / OUTPUTCONNECTIONS.
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SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 1:
One Gotham to
Home Theater Receiver or
Home Theater Preamp/Processor
Most home theater receivers andpreamp/processors provide a single(mono) subwooer output. Whenconnecting a mono subwooer output
to your Gotham, you will only use theGothams Le or Mono input.wo connection types are avai lable
or connecting the Gotham to yourhome theater system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your receiver orprocessor has balanced outputs, we highlyrecommend that you use them.
In the connection diagram at le,balanced connections are shown as solid
lines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods (not both).
SUBREAR
REAR CENTER
FRONT
FRONT
R
L
PRE OUT
PROCESSOR (BALANCED OUTPUTS) RECEIVER / PROCESSOR (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS)
OR
OUTPUTS
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GOTHAM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)
WARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAM AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN THESYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!
WARNING
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SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 2:
Multiple Gothams to
Home Theater Receiver or
Home Theater Preamp/Processor
o greatly simpliy using multiplesubwooers in a single home theatersystem, Gothams incorporate aMaster/Slave signal distribution system.
Tis allows control o all the Gothams in asystem rom a single Master unit.First, you will select one o the
Gotham subwooers as the Master via itsle Input Mode switch. Generally, youwill designate the Gotham closest to thereceiver/preamp as the master. In somecases; or example, when the control panelo certain units is di cult to access, youmay preer to designate the one which iseasiest to access as the master.
wo connection types are available orconnecting the master Gotham to yourhome theater system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your receiver orprocessor has balanced outputs, we highlyrecommend that you use them to connectto the Gotham designated as the master.
In the connection diagram at le,balanced connections are shown as solidlines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods or the Gothamdesignated as the master (not both).
Te remaining Gothams in the systemwill be congured as Slave units viatheir le Input Mode switches. Usingbalanced XLR cables, you will connectthe master Gothams Output to Slaveto the Le or Mono balanced inputo the rst slave Gotham. Tat slaveunits Output to Slave connector willeed the Le or Mono input o thenext slave unit via another balancedXLR cable. Subsequent slave units willbe connected in the same manner.
Connections between the Masterand Slave Gothams andbetween Slave Gothams are viabalanced XLR cables ONLY.
SUBREAR
REAR CENTER
FRONT
FRONT
R
L
PRE OUT
OUTPUTS
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PROCESSOR RECEIVER / PROCESSOR
OR
TO ADDITIONAL GOTHAMS
(IF APPLICABLE)
FATHOM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)
FATHOM REAR CONTROLS (SLAVE)
IMPORTANT
WARNINGWARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAMS AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN
THE SYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!
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STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (BALANCED OUTPUTS)
LOW OUT(SUB OUT)
OR
STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS)
RIGHTLEFT
LOW OUT(SUB OUT)
GOTHAM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)
SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 3:
One Gotham in Mono to
Two-Channel Audio System
When connecting a Gotham (ormultiple Gothams) in mono to a two-channel audio system you will use boththe Le or Mono and the Right inputs.Summing circuitry in the Gothams input
section will sum the stereo signals tomono.We strongly recommend that you
use a high-quality active crossoverto divide your preampliers signalsprior to connection to the Gothamand to the amplier driving your mainspeakers. Tis will allow you to lter lowrequencies out o the signals drivingthe main speakers, resulting in betterperormance.
I you are not using an active crossoverand are comortable running your mainspeakers ull-range, you can split yourpreampliers output signals usingappropriate Y-connectors in place o theactive crossover shown in the diagram.
wo connection types are avai lableor connecting the Gotham to your two-channel audio system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your preamplieror active crossover oers balancedoutputs, we highly recommend that youuse them.
In the connection diagram at le,balanced connections are shown as solidlines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods (not both).
NOE: I desired, additional Gothamscan be connected in Slave mode to theGotham connected as shown on thisdiagram. See Connection Diagram 2 onpage 23 or slave connection explanation.
WARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAM AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN THESYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!
WARNING
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SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 4:
Two Gothams in Stereo to
Two-Channel Audio System
When connecting two Gothams instereo to a two-channel audio system youwill only use the Le or Mono inputs oeach Gotham. Te upper Input Modeswitch on each Gotham will be set in the
Master position.We strongly recommend that youuse a high-quality active crossoverto divide your preampliers signalsprior to connection to the Gothamand to the amplier driving your mainspeakers. Tis wil l allow you to lter lowrequencies out o the signals drivingthe main speakers, resulting in betterperormance.
I you are not using an active crossoverand are comortable running your mainspeakers ull-range, you can split yourpreampliers output signals usingappropriate Y-connectors in place o theactive crossover shown in the diagram.
wo connection types are available orconnecting the Gothams to your two-channel audio system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your preamplieror active crossover oers balancedoutputs, we highly recommend that youuse them.
In the connection diagram at right,balanced connections are shown as solidlines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods (not both).
NOE: I desired, additional Gothamscan be connected in Slave mode to eachGotham connected as shown on thisdiagram. See Connection Diagram 2 onpage 23 or slave connection explanation.
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LOW OUT(SUB OUT)
RIGHTLEFT
LOW OUT(SUB OUT)
OR
STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (BALANCED OUTPUTS) STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS)
GOTHAM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)
GOTHAM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)
WARNINGWARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAMS AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN
THE SYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!
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RECOMMENDED SETUP PROCEDURES
1) Preparation or Setup Process: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27
2) Level Setting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3) Polarity/Phase Adjustment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4) Experiment with Location: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
5) Apply A.R.O: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-30
6) Adjust E.L.F. rim: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
PREPARATION FOR SETUP PROCESS:Please conrm the ollowing system settings beore beginning the setup
process. Tis will ensure a neutral starting point and an eective setup o your
subwooer system.
On your Home Theater Receiver or Preamp/Processor:
Beore beginning setup o your Gotham subwooer system we recommend
that you set your receiver or preamp/processor as ollows (please turn o all
Gothams in the system prior to making these adjustments):
1. Speaker Size
In the speaker setup menu o your receiver or preamp/processor, set up all o
your high-requency speakers as small with a crossover point o 80 Hz. Tis
will send ALL bass to the Gotham(s).
2. Speaker Distance
In the speaker setup menu, properly set all speaker distances to the primary
listening seat, including the subwooers distance. Use a tape measure todetermine these distances (time coherence is important.) I multiple Gothams
are being used, average their distances to the primary listening seat and use
that number to set the subwooer distance.
3. Subwooer Level
Set the subwooer level in the receiver or preamp/processor 0 or its
middle position.
4. one Controls / Equalizers
Set all tone controls to 0 and deeat all equalizer eatures.
On your Active Crossover or Bass Management Processor:
I you are using an active crossover or bass-management processor, we
recommend that you set it as ollows beore beginning setup o your Gotham
subwooer system (please turn o all Gothams in the system prior to making
these adjustments):
1. Low-Pass Filter Frequency
Select a low-pass lter requency o 80 Hz (12dB/octave slope)
2. High-Pass Filter Frequency
Select a high-pass lter requency o 80 Hz (12dB/octave slope)
3. Low-Pass (Subwooer) Output Level
Set the subwooer output level to 0 or its middle position.
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On the Gothams Front Panel:
Please turn o the home theater receiver or preamp/processor to make
these adjustments.1. Power Switch
Flip each Gothams Power switch to the On position.
2. Lights Switch
Flip each Gothams Lights switch to the On position. I you dont see any
lights on the ront panel, you may have orgotten to plug the Gotham in or
there may be a problem with the electrical circuit.
3. Input Mode Indicator Lights
I you are using a single Gotham, conrm that its Input Mode indicator light
is on the Master position. I not, you will need to access the le Input Mode
switch on the rear panel o the Gotham.
I you are using multiple Gothams in a Master/Slave conguration, conrm
that the unit connected directly to your receiver or preamp/processor isindicating Master on its Input Mode lights and that all other units are
indicating Slave on their Input Mode lights. I not, you will need to access
the le Input Mode switches on the rear panels o the Gothams.
3. Level Mode Switch
Flip the master Gothams Level Mode switch to the REF position.
4. LP Filter Switch
I your home theater receiver/processor is handling bass management
(speakers set on small) or i you are using an outboard crossover/bass-
management processor, fip the master Gothams LP Filter switch to OFF.
I not, select the 12 dB position.
5. LP Freq. (Hz) Knob
Rotate the LP Freq. knob to the 80 Hz position.
6. e.l.. trim (dB) Knob
Rotate the e.l.. trim knob to 0
7. Polarity Switch
Flip the Polarity switch to 0.
8. phase (deg.) Knob
Rotate the phase knob to 0 degrees
9. A.R.O. Deeat Switch
Press the A.R.O. deeat switch so that the red light in the
switch remains lit.
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RECOMMENDED SETUP PROCEDURES (continued)Subwoofer System Setup:
Once you have set the controls on your home theater receiver or preamp/
processor and on your Gotham(s) to the settings recommended on pages 26 and
27, you are ready to begin setting up your Gotham or optimum perormance.
1) Level Setting
Using amiliar music or movie material with deep bass content, adjust thesubwooer level to blend with the other speakers using your receiver or preamp/
processors subwooer level control. Tis method is more immune to tampering
than using the Gothams Master Level knob (think toddlers or curious visitors).
In the unlikely event that the subwooer level control in your receiver or
preamp/processor cannot be turned up enough to level match the Gotham, return
that control to 0. Ten, fip the Gothams Level Mode switch to Variable
and with 0 as your reerence point (REF mode gain and Variable 0 gain are
identical) use the Master Level control to level match the subwooer with the
other speakers. MAKE NOTE OF THIS SETTING FOR FUTURE USE.
For more detailed inormation on your Gothams level setting controls, please
reer to the Level Mode and Master Level sections on page 29 o this manual.
2) Polarity and Phase Adjustment
It is oen helpul to have a second person operating these controls so that you
can easily hear the changes rom the primary listening seat.
Listening to amiliar source material (preerably music with good upper bass
and midbass response), fip the Polarity switch rom 0 to 180 and listen or
dierences. Te correct setting will sound most natural with the best upper bass
punch and articulation. I both sound similar, choose 0.
Once Polarity is set, use the same music material to audition dierent Phase
control settings and choose the one that urther enhances the upper and midbass
response. I you cant hear a dierence, set the control to 0.
3) Experiment with alternative subwooer locations (i necessary).
I you are satised with the basic perormance o your subwooer you are ready
to move on to the next step. I not, we recommend that you experiment with
the position o your subwooer until you are pleased with its basic perormance.
Experimentating with placement is KEY to a superior sounding system. Moving the
subwooer just a ew eet can have a signicant eect on the smoothness o the bass.
For each new position, start with the polarity and phase controls at 0 and repeat the
setup process beginnng with Step 1.
IMPORTANT! WRITE DOWN ALL SETTINGS PERFORMED IN STEPS 1-3 FORFUTURE REFERENCE.
IMPORTANT
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4) Applying Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.)
You are now ready to apply the power o JL Audios exclusive Automatic Room
Optimization system. Tis system will measure the response o the subwooer at
your primary listening seat and apply a powerul equalizer to tame the primary
room mode, resulting in smoother, more accurate bass perormance. I you are
using multiple Gothams in a master/slave conguration, you will only need to
address the unit designated as master to perorm A.R.O. calibration or the entire
subwooer system.
a) Set the Main Power switch to the ON position and be sure the Gothams
indicator lights are switched ON via the Lights switch.
b) Flip the Gothams Level Mode switch to Variable and turn the Master Level
control to the 12 oclock position. I you were already in Variable mode, make
a note o the volume position you established during Level Setting (Step 1) beore
turning it to the 12 oclock position or A.R.O. calibration. In most cases, you
will need to tweak the overall level o the subwooer aer the A.R.O. calibration is
run, but you need to know your prior setting to begin that process.
c) Set the LP Filter to OFF
d) Veriy that the e.l.. trim control is set to 0
e) Remove the calibration microphone rom its protective pouch
and connect its cable to the mini-XLR jack on the Gothams ront control panel.
NOE: A.R.O. Calibration is only possible when the included JL Audio test
microphone is plugged in to the Gotham ront panel. Te Calibrate eature is
disabled with no microphone plugged in to prevent accidental loss o settings.
) Connect the microphone to the other end o the mic cable and temporarily place
the mic in the primary listening seat. I you have a microphone stand, you can
place the microphone at head height and position in the primary listening seat.
g) On the Gothams control panel, press the Calibrate button. Te green light
on the Calibrate button will turn on, indicating that calibration will begin
in 5 seconds.
NOE: I you have already run A.R.O. once, the Calibrate light will already be on.
Each time A.R.O. calibration is run, the previous settings are erased and the new
settings are stored.
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE THE ROOM IS QUIET DURING A.R.O.
CALIBRATION! TURN OFF ANY NOISY APPLIANCES NEAR THE LISTENINGROOM DISHWASHERS, WASHING MACHINES, ETC.
IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO TURN OFF AIR CONDITIONERS OR HEATPUMPS DURING CALIBRATION. THESE FORCED-AIR-TYPE HVAC SYSTEMS
CAN CREATE MODERATE LEVELS OF 15 20 HZ NOISE THAT MAY INTERFEREWITH CALIBRATION.
DO NOT TALK, COUGH OR SNEEZE DURING CALIBRATION AS THIS MAYCORRUPT THE CALIBRATION MEASUREMENTS.
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h) Within 5 seconds o pressing the Calibrate button, return to your primary
listening seat and hold the microphone in your normal, seated head position at
the approximate height o your ears.
i) A series o quick, stepped tones will begin which are used by the A.R.O. soware
to set an appropriate bass level at your seat or the test. I these tones stop aer
two to ve cycles, the Calibrate buttons light will start to blink, indicating a
level setting error. Slow blinking (approximately once per second) indicates thelevel selected on the Master Level control was too low. Increase the Master Level
control approximately one eighth o a turn and go back to Step g.
I the Calibrate light is blinking quickly (approximately 3 times per second), this
indicates that the Master Level was set too loud. Decrease the Master Level
control by approximately one eighth o a turn and return to Step g.
j) When the Master Level is properly set, a slow series o tones will be played rom
20 Hz to 100 Hz aer the stepped, level-setting tones. During this process, the
A.R.O. system is taking a requency response measurement at your listening seat.
When A.R.O. is nished calibrating, the Calibrate button will light and stay on,
indicating a successul calibration.
k) Return your Gothams ront panel controls to their previously determined
settings (beore the A.R.O. calibration run) and re-tweak the subwooer output
level as described in Step 1 (Level Setting) on page 28. Since the A.R.O. will
smooth the largest peak in the bass response at the listening seat, the apparent
subwooer level may appear lower. Simply increase the subwooer level until you
are satised.
5) Extreme Low Frequency (e.l..) rim
Use the e.l.. trim control to adjust the extreme low bass extension o the
Gotham. Tis control allows -12 dB o cut or +3 dB o boost at 25 Hertz and is
particularly useul when using a Gotham (or two) in a small to medium sized home
theater. Since smaller enclosed spaces help to boost the level o the lowest bass
requencies, smaller theaters can be overwhelmed by the strong low-bass output o
the Gotham subwooer. Tis can create a thick or bloated character in the lower
bass region. urning down the e.l.. trim knob cuts the extreme low bass level and
alleviates this condition. Feel ree to experiment and listen to a variety o demanding
material until you nd the best match or your room and your tastes.
Your Gotham is now optimized or maximum bass perormance at your
listening seat. Congratulations!
IMPORTANT! IF YOU MOVE YOUR GOTHAM OR PRIMARY LISTENING SEATIN THE FUTURE, YOU WILL NEED TO RUN A.R.O. AGAIN. ANY PARTICULAR
CALIBRATION IS UNIQUE TO THAT PARTICULAR SUBWOOFER POSITIONAND LISTENING SEAT POSITION COMBINATION. SIMPLY FOLLOW THE
STEPS ABOVE TO CREATE A NEW CALIBRATION CURVE.
IMPORTANT
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I place objects on my subwooer?
We do not recommend placing any items on the subwooer cabinet as they may
vibrate, causing undesirable noise and possible damage to the nish. Under no
circumstances should any object containing liquid be placed on the Gotham cabinet.
Is the Gotham magnetically shielded?Gotham subwooers are not magnetically shielded. o avoid magnetic distortion
with certain television types, place the Gotham at least 3-4 eet (1 - 1.5m) rom
your screen. I you notice any discoloration in the picture, try moving the
subwooer urther away until these artiacts disappear.
Will my electric bill be high i I leave the Gotham in Auto mode?
When in Auto mode, the Gotham amplier is only powered up when
a signicant signal is detected on the inputs. When powered down, only
housekeeping circuits remain on, which draw negligible amounts o power
rom the wall (less than 5 watts).
Should I unplug my subwooer during a thunderstorm or extended absence?YES. You should unplug your Gotham during (or beore) thunderstorms. Tis
will prevent any possible damage rom voltage spikes due to lightning. In these
conditions, its a good idea to unplug all o your audio / video components. I you
are going to be away rom home or several days, it is also a good idea to unplug
your home theater components to prevent damage rom unexpected storms or
power line conditions.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
No sound rom subwooer.
1. Veriy that Gotham is plugged in, turned ON & that ront panel lights are ON.
I the Gotham will not power up, check the circuit breaker that eeds its outlet.
2. est subwooer using DEMO button on ront panel i sub emits demo tones the
subwooers internal circuitry is ne and an input problem is likely. Check the
input cable connections at the Gotham and at the receiver/preamp/processor.3. Veriy that your receivers subwooer settings have not changed
4. I your other speakers play, but the Gotham does not, try changing the cable
that connects the Gotham to the system.
5. I the problem persists, call your dealer or JL Audio echnical Support
or assistance.
Te bass level has changed.
1. Make sure your level settings (on the Gotham and in your receiver/preamp/
processor) have not changed.
2. I you are using the Gothams Master Level knob to set the subwooer level,
conrm that the Level Mode switch is set to Variable.
3. Veriy the position o the E.L.F. rim knob.
Hums or other unusual noises rom your Gotham
1. See Input Mode discussion on page 20o this manual, especially i anyupstream components, cables, etc., have recently changed.
2. urn o the Gotham, disconnect all its input and output signal cables, turn the
Gotham back on. I the noise disappears, the noise is being caused elsewhere in
your system.
Bass sounds muddy or too heavy.
1. ry decreasing the 25 Hertz level using the e.l.. trim control. Muddy bass
can sometimes be caused by too much low requency output in a moderately
sized room.2. Decrease the overal l subwooer level.
3. Veriy your receivers subwooer settings.
4. ry a dierent subwooer or main listening seat location. Changing one or the
other can have a HUGE eect on how your system sounds. See the placement
discussion on pages 6-10 o this manual.
Your Gotham is clearly audible outside o your house.
1. Revisit the Master Level setting on your Gotham(s) or your home theater
receiver/preamp/processor.
2. Inquire with your JL Audio dealer about noise isolation strategies.
3. Move the Gotham away rom windows.
Angry neighbors knocking at your door.
Invite them in and oer them a beverage.
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LIMITED WARRANTY / SERVICE INFORMATION
JL AUDIO warrants this product to be ree o deects in materials and
workmanship or a period o three (3) years rom the original date o purchase.
Damage caused by the ollowing is not covered under warranty: accident,
misuse, abuse, product modication or neglect, ailure to ollow installation
instructions, unauthorized repair attempts, misrepresentations by the seller.
Tis warranty does not cover incidental or consequential damages and does notcover the cost o removing or reinsta lling the unit(s) or shipping the unit(s) to
JL AUDIO or service. Cosmetic damage due to accident or normal wear and tear
is not covered under warranty.
Tis warranty is not transerable and applies only to the original purchaser
o the product rom an authorized JL AUDIO dealer. Warranty is voided i the
actory-applied product serial number is removed or deaced.
Should service be necessary under this warranty or any reason due to
manuacturing deect or malunction, JL AUDIO will, at its discretion, repair or
replace the deective product with new or remanuactured product at no charge.
Any applicable implied warranties are limited in duration to the period o
the express warranty as provided herein beginning with the date o the original
purchase at retail, and no warranties, whether express or implied, shall applyto this product thereaer. Some states do not allow limitations on implied
warranties, thereore these exclusions may not apply to you. Tis warranty gives
you specic legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary rom
state to state.
I you need service on your JL AUDIO Gotham:
Please contact us to arrange service.
For Service Inormation in the U.S.A. please call:
JL Audio customer service:
(888) JL AUDIO (888-552-8346) during normal business hours (Eastern ime)
JL Audio, Inc 10369 North Commerce Parkway, Miramar, FL 33025
International Warranties:
Products purchased outside the United States o America are covered only by that
countrys distributor and not by JL Audio, Inc.
Do not attempt to service or
disassemble the Gotham! Tere
are no user serviceable parts inside
and disassembly requires specic
techniques and training to prevent
damage. Please contact yourauthorized dealer i your Gotham
requires service or call JL Audio at
the number listed on this page.
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H
W D
F R O N T
B O T T O MT O P
S I D E W I T H G R I L L E B A C K
Specificationsg213gotham home subwoofer
Enclosure Type: Sealed, with non-parallel walls
Driver: Twin 13.5-inch (nominal diameter)
Frequency Response: 19-200 Hz (3dB)
Effective Piston Area: 214.70 (0.1386 sq. m)
Effective Displacement: 773 cu. in. (12.7 liters)
Amplifier Power: 3800 watts RMS short-term
Dimensions: H Height x W Width x D DepthHeight Dimensions include feet.
34.13 in x 21.50 in. x 24.00 in.867 mm x 546 mm x 610 mm
Net Weight: 360 lbs. (163 kg)
Cabinet Finish: High-Gloss Black
FEATURES
Unbalanced Inputs:Stereo or Mono (two RCA jacks)
Balanced Inputs:Stereo or Mono (two emale XLRjacks)
Output o Slave:Balanced (one male XLR jack)
Input Modes:Master or Slave
Level Modes:
Reerence (xed gain) or Variable romull mute to +15dB over reerence gain
Power Modes:O, On or Automatic Signal-Sensing
Light Modes:O, On or Dim
Low Pass Filter Mode:O, 12 dB per octave or 24 dB per octave
Low Pass Filter Cuto Frequency:
Variable rom 30 Hz 130 Hz
Polarity:0 or 180 degrees
Phase:Variable rom 0 280 degrees
E.L.F. rim:Variable rom 12 dB to +3 dB at 20 Hz
Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.)with included laboratory-gradecalibration microphone, deeatable.
JL Audio, and the JL Audio logo are registered trademarks of JL Audio, Inc.,Ahead of the Curve is a trademark ofJL Audio, Inc. Due to continuous product development, all specifications are subject to change without notice.
(954) 443-1100 www.j laudio.com