Harman JBL Synthesis SSW-3, Owner'S Manual

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THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING JBL®

For more than 70 years, JBL has been involved in every aspect of music and film recording and reproduction, from live performances to 
monitoring the recordings you play in your home, car or office.

We are confident that the JBL Synthesis loudspeaker you have chosen will provide every note of enjoyment that you expect – and that 
when you think about purchasing additional audio equipment for your home, car or office, you will once again choose JBL.

Please take a moment to register your product on our website at www.jblsynthesis.com. This enables us to keep you posted on our latest 
advancements, and helps us to better understand our customers and build products that meet their needs and expectations.

All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

INCLUDED

1.  1 x SSW-3 Subwoofer

2.  1 x SSW-3BB back box 
3.  1 x Grille 
4.  1 x Scrim cloth for grille 
5.  1 x Owner’s Manual 
6.  2 x Centering Blocks (Pre-Mounted) 
7.  1 x Spacer (For 0.625” Drywall)
8.  1 x Center Spacer (For 0.625” Drywall)
9.  20 x Screws (For Baffle Assembly)
10.  1 x lining material 6”x6”
11.  2 x Styrofoam blocks (For used as BB support)
12.  2 x Wood Screws M6 x 30mm (For filling-up screw holes when upper centering block is removed)
13.  10 x Polyurethane Bushings (For BB Mountin g to Wall Stud)
14.  10 x Flat Washers (For BB Mounting to Wall Stud)
15.  10 x ø5 x 90MM (For BB Mounting to Wall Stud)

PLACEMENT

Low-frequency sounds are normally omnidirectional, meaning the listener can’t tell where they are generated from. However, frequencies 
between 75Hz and 150Hz can be localized, especially at higher volume levels. Positioning your subwoofer as recommended will provide 
the most natural soundstage and imaging from your loudspeaker system.

It is generally recommended that you install your SSW-3 in-wall subwoofer along the same wall as the front loudspeakers. The SSW-3 
subwoofer is not video-shielded and should not be placed near a video display. Installing the SSW-3 near a corner will tend to maximize 
low-frequency output. Be cautious when installing in a corner, to avoid a “boomy” sound. Also take into consideration any unusual 
features of the room, such as an alcove, which may tend to create a localized node that may affect bass response in that area of the room.

It is also recommended that the speaker is installed so that the bottom of the speaker is approximately 12” from the floor. Using the SSW-
3BB back box enclosure will ensure that the loudspeaker is installed at the ideal height. This is to help with the low-frequency loading 
(bass reinforcement). This also helps hide the speaker in a less visible place. In special circumstances, it is acceptable to install the speaker 
at any height on a wall.

Remember that these are just guidelines. Since every listening room is different, JBL strongly recommends experimenting with the positioning 
of your subwoofer prior to cutting the wall to obtain the most pleasing results in your room. One technique that can help you find the ideal 
subwoofer location is to temporarily borrow a stand-alone subwoofer and place it near the main listening location. Then move around the 
room and determine where you hear the most pleasing bass performance. This would then be the ideal location for the subwoofer.

When using two SSW-3 in-wall subwoofer systems, you may need to be concerned about phase, as the sound waves may cancel each 
other out. If the bass response seems low, try inverting the polarity on one subwoofer – i.e., connect the (+) terminal on the amplifier to 
the (–) terminal on the speaker, and the (–) terminal on the amplifier to the (+) terminal on the speaker.