NHT Evolution System manual

Evolution Owner ’ s Manual & Setup Guide[...]

1. READ INSTRUCTIONS - All safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated. 2. RET AIN INSTRUCTIONS - Safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference. 3. HEED WARNINGS - All warnings on the appliance and in operating instructions should be adhered to. 4. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS - All operating[...]

Evolution User Guide - Contents 1.0 Intro 1.1 Introduction, About This Owner's Manual 1.2 Description By Model 1.3 Identifying Y our System 2.0 Getting Organized 2.1 Unpacking 2.2 Parts List 3.0 Speaker Placement 3.1 2 Channel Stereo 3.2 5.1 Digital Surround Sound 3.3 Enhanced Digital Surround Formats 3.4 Center Channel 3.5 Subwoofers 3.6 Elec[...]

1.1 Introduction, About this Owner's Manual Congratulations on your purchase of an Evolution System. We believe Evolution to be the most flexible, high performance loudspeaker collection available. Along with this manual, we have included the following tools to assist you with the setup of your Evolution system: NHT Combination #2/#3 Phillips [...]

becomes the Evolution T5 tower . It employs the Evolution 12” aluminum cone woofer . The B5 cabinets are mirror imaged to allow for proper woofer orientation. B6 - The B6 subwoofer bass module mates with the M6 to form the T6 tower system. Designed for larger rooms, the mirror imaged B6 mod- ules each contain two 12” aluminum cone woofers. Pede[...]

1.3 Identifying Y our System T o the right is a chart by model, indicating the various components and accessory kits includ- ed with your purchase of either the T5/T6 tower or U1/U2 subwoofer system. The M5/M6 and P5/P6 are packaged individually with their required hardware and accessories. T5 T owers T6 T owers M5 M6 B5 Left B6 Left B5 Right B6 Ri[...]

2.0 Getting Organized. CAUTION: Some of the Evolution product is heavy . We recommend you enlist help in unpacking, assembling and moving the larger speaker components. The cartons for all tower speaker components and assembly kits are color coded. The print on the 5 series cartons (M5, B5, K5, P5) is red; the print on the 6 series cartons (M6, B6,[...]

2.2 Parts List M5 or M6 Monitor Carton: M5 or M6 monitor Grille carton: Grille Logo Third foot (2) Thumbscrews (2) Plastic washers (4) Rubber feet W arranty card W1 Carton: Subwoofer cabinet for the U1 System (4) Rubber feet W arranty card W2 Carton: Subwoofer cabinet for the U2 System (4) Rubber feet W arranty card X1 Carton: X1 Active crossover P[...]

3.0 Speaker Placement Now is a good time to finalize your plans for speaker placement. This section outlines the important issues to consider in configuring your system for optimum performance. The M5 and M6 monitors are designed to per- form almost identically whether placed horizon- tally or vertically . Below are some fundamental guidelines on M[...]

3.1 T wo Channel Stereo The diagram below illustrates the desired moni- tor and subwoofer placement for two channel (stereo) listening. If you are not using an Evolution tower or pedestal and are orienting the monitors vertically , try to place the M5 or M6 so the tweeters are at or near ear level. 3.2 5.1 Digital Surround The diagrams below illust[...]

3.3 Enhanced Digital Surround Formats Different surround formats use dif ferent num- bers of surround speakers. 5.1 systems use two surround speakers, 6.1 systems use three and 7.1 systems use four . Some A V receivers and separate Surround Processors are equipped with 6.1 or 7.1 surround formats. 6.1 refers to the Dolby Digital Surround EX ™ or [...]

3.4 Center Channel The M5 and M6 monitors can be placed in a home entertainment center or directly on top of a TV as shown below . Remember , for proper center channel sound dispersion, the Monitor should be placed horizontally . If you intend to place your center channel on a television with a shallow top so that the Monitor overhangs the televisi[...]

Evolution freestanding subwoofers offer tremen- dous flexibility in placement. The following sug- gestions illustrate a few of the possibilities avail- able to you. If you have a unique placement requirement or intend to use multiple subwoofer systems, consult your authorized NHT dealer or call our Customer Service Hotline at 1-800- NHT-9993 for ad[...]

4.0 System Assembly This section covers the assembly required for specific Evolution product configurations. The operations are simple and easy to accomplish quickly . 4.1 Supplies and tools The tools you will need are: - Combination #2/#3 Phillips screwdriver (pro- vided in your Owner ’s Kit) - NHT binding post wrench (provided) - Wire strippers[...]

Step 2: NHT Third Foot for Center Channel Use The M5 and M6 cartons include a “Third Foot”, a support that stabilizes the monitor when it is mounted on a television. If the top of the televi- sion is shallower than the Monitor is deep, the rear of the Monitor will not be fully supported. The Third Foot will provide the necessary sup- port in th[...]

Step5: Attaching Monitor Grilles The M5 and M6 are designed to sound the best when the grilles are used (they may sound slightly bright if played without the grilles). T o install them, line up the four pins on the back of the grille with the four rubber cups located in the corners of the Monitor ’ s front baffle. Firmly press all four corners of[...]

4.3 T5 and T6 T ower Assembly Depending on which model you purchased, you will now need the parts contained in either the K5 or K6 assembly kit. Step 1: Installing the Stabilizer Bars The aluminum bars attach to the bottom of the bass module to provide stability for the tower system. Carefully turn the B5 or B6 bass mod- ule upside down on a soft s[...]

Step 3: Attaching the Monitor Connection Harness The Monitor Connection Harness connects the Monitor ’ s speaker terminals to the terminal cup on top of the subwoofer module. This terminal cup is internally wired to the uppermost of the two terminal cups at the bottom rear of the sub- woofer module. Remove the two gold-plated screws from the term[...]

Step 6: Bass Module Orientation At this point you need to decide in which orien- tation to place the subwoofers. There are two options, woofers facing inwards or outwards as shown in the illustration. If there is going to be a large object located between the towers (a television or large piece of furniture), place the subwoofer modules so that the[...]

Step 8: Connecting the Monitor Connection Harness to the Monitor Loosen the nuts on the binding post terminals enough to allow the spade terminals on the Harness to fit under them. Make sure you match wire colors for proper polarity , (red to red, black to black). The cable should lay flat against the back of the monitor . T ighten the terminal nut[...]

4.4 Assembling Monitors On Pedestals Step 1: Install Aluminum Stabilizer Bars Carefully turn the P5 or P6 bass module upside down on a soft surface, being careful not to scratch the paint. Find the four threaded holes on the bottom of the pedestal. Gently place the stabilizer bars over the threaded holes. Start the four large (1/4-20) screws by han[...]

Step 4: Install Wire Channel Assembly The wire channel assembly for the P5 and P6 pedestals neatly routes the speaker wire down the back of the pedestal. It consists of two plas- tic U shaped brackets, one plastic channel and four 6-3/4 screws. T o install, first strip ½” - ¾” of insulation from the ends of your speak- er wire and connect the[...]

screw the metal spikes into the bottom of the aluminum stabilizer bars. T ighten the locking nuts by hand. Move to the other side and repeat the procedure. Be aware that wood or tile floors can be dam- aged by the spike’s sharp tip. Four small metal cups are included with the pedestal to fit under each spike and protect the floor . Once the spike[...]

5.0 Wiring Y our Speakers Before beginning to wire your system, we suggest you review the following guidelines and wiring dia- grams to find the Evolution system(s) you have pur- chased. T ools Required: NHT Wrench (included) Wire strippers T ape measure Speaker Wire (10 - 14 gauge) Component Interconnect Cables 5.1 General Guides to Wire Layout T [...]

5.5 Wiring for Monaural Bass The B5 bass modules and the dual W2 sub- woofer cabinets require one additional wiring step. The speaker wire coming from the B5 or W2 cabinets must be connected in parallel at the A1 subwoofer amplifier . The Dual Subwoofer Adapter has been supplied with the A1 amplifier for this purpose (see illustration). Loosely twi[...]

0 1 A1 M 5/M 6 - - + M5 / M6 Wiring Diagram[...]

W1 Cabinet A1 + - + From X1 U1 Wiring Diagram[...]

A1 - W2 Cabinet W2 Cabinet Use Banana Adapter - - + + + - - - From X1 U2 Wiring Diagram[...]

[...]

Speaker Output Left Speaker Output Right + + - - - - - - - To M 6 To M 6 Sub Sub T6 T ower Left T6 T ower Right A1 A1 + + + + Right Amp Left Amp A V Receiver or Amplifier From X1 From X1 T6 Wiring Diagram[...]

6.0 Connecting Evolution Electronics to Y our System. There are a number of methods by which you can connect the X1 Active Crossover and A1 Amplifier to the rest of your system. The method you choose will be determined largely by the surround components in your system. This becomes particularly important in the manage- ment of bass frequencies. The[...]

ting will prevent low bass frequencies from reaching the Monitors. The removal of the low bass will make integration of the Monitors with your Evolution subwoofer easier and has the additional benefit of increasing the Monitor ’ s dynamic range and power handling capability . Method 2 This is the connection method to use if your A V Receiver has [...]

Method 3 Use this connection method if you have a sepa- rate Surround Processor and Amplifier(s). - Connect the front Left and Right pre-amp outputs from your Surround Processor to the Left and Right inputs on the X1. - Connect the Left and Right Hi Pass out- puts on the X1 to inputs of the amplifier that is driving the front Left and front Right s[...]

6.2 Power Connections The X1 crossover receives power via the LL-1 power supply . The A1 amplifier receives power via the detach- able IEC style power cord. Caution: Prior to connecting the A1 amplifier to your audio system, make sure that all your other electronic equipment is turned off or unplugged. 7.0 Basic Settings for the X1 Active Crossover[...]

M5 or M6 Not used in Method #1 One W1 = Mono T wo W1 = Stereo Boundary EQ LFE Gain Master Gain Min Min -6 -3 +3 Max Max +6 0 0 90 180 0 Phase 75 55 30 Low Pass 140 80 110 HZ 50 65 Degrees dB LFE LFE In High Pass Out L High Pass Out R Hi Pass Out Sub Out Gain High Pass Filter Out In R L 1 10Hz Stereo 10 dB 80Hz 50Hz Mono 0d B Not used in Method #1 U[...]

Boundary EQ LFE Gain Master Gain Min Min -6 -3 +3 Max Max +6 0 0 90 180 0 Phase 75 55 30 Low Pass 140 80 110 HZ 50 65 Degrees dB LFE LFE In High Pass Out L High Pass Out R Hi Pass Out Sub Out Gain High Pass Filter Out In R L 1 10Hz Stereo 10 dB 80Hz 50Hz Mono 0d B Not used in Method #1 T6[...]

8.0 X1 Active Crossover 8.1 Design The NHT X1 active crossover is designed to provide convenient front-panel adjustment of the controls necessary to integrate the Evolution subwoofers with Evolution Monitors or other satellites. It also provides unbalanced RCA and differential balanced XLR inputs and outputs for connection with all types of receive[...]

gered internally or externally . On the rear panel of the X1 is a 3-position switch that determines the trigger mode: 1) On; the X1 is always on. 2) Audio; the X1 will automatically turn on when it detects an audio signal and turn off after 20 minutes with no signal. 3) 12V Ext; the X1 can be remotely turned on or off when it detects a DC control s[...]

High Pass Filter Switch (Rear Panel) - Connection Method 2 and 3 Only Note: If you are using Connection Method #1, the X1 High Pass Filter is not in the circuit path. Y our monitors will reproduce the frequency range selected by your A V Receiver . The High Pass Filter determines the range of frequencies that the main speakers ("satellites&quo[...]

system. However , if you want to experiment or are using main speakers other than Evolution Monitors, use the following procedure: Begin by setting the phase knob at 0°, alternating the switch position between 0° and 180°. From the listening position, choose the switch position that yields the most bass output and leave the switch there. Then us[...]

8.4 System Status Indicators (Front Panel) Located on the right hand side of the front panel are two LEDs. They are used to indicate the functional status of the X1 Crossover . P - Power LED (green) - indicates the X1 is on and in a ready condition. S - Standby LED (amber) - indicates the X1 crossover is in "standby" mode. 8.5 Fine T unin[...]

9.0 A1 Monaural Amplifier 9.1 Design The A1 is a full range (20Hz - 20kHz) audio power amplifier . It provides RCA and XLR inputs for connection with all types of receivers or separate audio components. The A1 is a sin- gle channel or monaural amplifier and can be used with Evolution subwoofer and tower prod- ucts or to power individual Evolution m[...]

9.4 Power/Standby Mode The main power switch for the A1 is located on the rear panel and does not normally need to be used. The A1 has a standby mode that can be triggered internally or externally . On the rear panel of the A1 is a 3-position switch that deter- mines the trigger mode: 1) On: The A1 is always on. 2) Audio: The A1 will automatically [...]

9.6 System Status Indicators Located on the right hand side of the front panel are three LEDs. They are used to indicate the status of the A1 amplifier . P - Power LED (green) - indicates the A1 ampli- fier is on and in a ready condition. S - Standby LED (amber) - indicates the A1 amplifier is in "standby" mode. F - Fault/Protection LED ([...]

10.0 Maintaining your system Y our NHT Evolution speakers and electronics require minimal maintenance under normal use. The cabinet may be cleaned using a soft cloth. There is usually no need to use fluids such as cleaners or wax to clean the surface of the speakers. The durable lacquer finish is designed for minimal maintenance. T o clean the gril[...]

1 1.0 Evolution T echnology 1 1.1 Monitor T echnology NHT chose the word Evolution to describe our new products for two reasons. Evolution repre- sents our belief that loudspeaker design must evolve to meet the requirements of multi-chan- nel, digital media both technologically and ergonomically . Secondly , it represents the evo- lution of the fun[...]

C) The internal midrange chamber features non- parallel internal surfaces that randomize stand- ing waves, eliminating comb-filtering and improving clarity and detail. The chamber is also sized to the midrange driver so that it is acousti- cally small. This further reduces the possibility of standing waves. D) The small footprint of the Neodymium t[...]

When oriented horizontally , the null is directed at the ceiling or floor (depending on tweeter posi- tion) improving mid-range detail. 1 1.3 Boundary Switch A loudspeaker ’ s mid-bass response is very dependant on its room placement. For exam- ple, if a speaker is tuned for placement away from walls and is then placed on a bookshelf, the reinfor[...]

1 1.5 Orientation Independent Dispersion The Evolution monitors are optimized for use in either a horizontal or vertical orientation. This is achieved by means of the relative placement, size and crossover frequencies of the drivers. The very small separation between the midrange and tweeter drivers allows dispersion that is very wide and well cont[...]

12.0 Glossary of T erms Active: Uses electrical power . Amplifier: An electronic device that increases the current and/or voltage of a signal, providing power to the loudspeakers (i.e. power amplifier , integrated amplifier , receiver). Bass: The range of audio frequencies below 160Hz, characterized by low pitch. Crossover: An electronic circuit th[...]

in decibels. Sub Out: An line level output for connection to a subwoofer or subwoofer signal processor . Subwoofer: A driver designed to operate over the low bass portion of the audio range. Also refers to a system consisting of a woofer and its enclosure, which are physically separate from the upper range loudspeakers. Surround Speakers: Speakers [...]

13.0 T rouble Shooting Problem What T o Do Unit fails to illuminate when the power is connected. 1) Check to see if your AC outlet has power . 2) X1 protection fuse may be blown and needs to be replaced. Contact your NHT dealer for assistance. 3) A1 protection fuse may be blown and needs to be replaced. See section 10.6 changing the fuse. Unit has [...]

14.0 Specifications A1 Amplifier Frequency response: 10Hz - 65KHz +/-3.0 dB 20Hz - 20KHz +/- 0.5 dB Distortion: <0.01% 20Hz-1KHz < 0.075% 10Hz - 20Khz Power Output: 200W rms into 8 ohms at rated distortion 250W rms into 6 ohms at rated distortion 300W rms into 4 ohms at rated distortion Signal to noise ratio: 100dB (unwtd) Input Impedance: &g[...]

M5 Monitor System type Woofer Midrange T weeter Magnetic Shielding Impedance (Minimum) Impedance (Nominal) Recommended Power Power Peak Power RMS Sensitivity Crossover Frequency Crossover Slopes (dB/octave) Response -6 dB LF Cutoff Input Connectors Dimensions (HxWxD) Weight Enclosure Material: 3-way , Acoustic Suspension 5.25” laminated cone 3”[...]

P5 Pedestal System type Dimensions (HxWxD) Weight Enclosure Material: Stand For M5 Monitor 25” x 7.75” x 1 1.75” 16 lbs. .75” MDF with backer P6 Pedestal System type Dimensions (HxWxD) Weight Enclosure Material: Stand For M6 Monitor 27.1” x 8.25” x 14.25” 18 lbs. .75” MDF with backer T5 T ower System type Dimensions (HxWxD) Weight M[...]