B
ALANCING
L
EVELS
Surround processors have a built-in pink noise genera-
tor that is used with a Sound Pressure Level meter to bal-
ance the volume levels of the various speakers in the au-
dio/video system. (An SPL meter is a required tool for
properly setting-up an audio/video system. Radio Shack
sells an inexpensive SPL meter with more than adequate
accuracy.) Do not try to balance the levels by ear. The
frequency range difference between the center and main
speakers will affect your perception of the pink noise lev-
els and result in improper balancing.
Some processors can be programmed for use with a big
or small center speaker. With the VCC-5, the processor
should be set for a big center speaker provided that this
setting does not remove the bass from the front left and
right channels. For very high play back levels the
processor should be bandpass limited to 60-80Hz 6dB
per octave. If your processor does not have this option
contact your dealer for a X-2 Outboard High Pass Filter
at the input of the center channel amplifier.
To achieve the correct balance, the VCC-5’s Prox-
imity Compensation must be turned off when the levels
are set using the noise generator. Balancing the levels
with the Proximity Compensation turned on will not
cause any damage, but the level of the center channel
will probably be set too high.
Once the speaker levels have been balanced, they
should not need to be altered unless the system compo-
nents are changed, the speakers are repositioned or the
listening area is moved.
Vandersteen Audio
6
VCC-5 Operation Manual
To avoid the possibility of a false reading, always turn off the VCC-5’s Proximity Com-
pensation when balancing the levels of the various speakers in your audio/video system
using test signals and an SPL meter.
Do not change the setting of the Proximity Compensation Switch when the VCC-5 is
playing. Mute the system, then make the necessary change.
P
ROXIMITY
C
OMPENSATION
The VCC-5’s Proximity Compensation circuit is de-
signed to help counter the sonic effects of nearby walls
and other surfaces.
1. Using good, clear dialog as a source, listen to your
system with the VCC-5’s Proximity Compensation
both on and off to determine which setting provides
more natural and intelligible voices in your particular
listening environment.
A
MPLIFICATION
To maintain the seamless integration of the VCC-5
with the front left and right speakers, the center channel
amplifier should be a close sonic match to the amplifier
driving the main speakers. The impedance of the VCC-5
center speaker is 4 ohms so that a high current amplifier is
required and it should have at least as much power as the
main amplifier. With only one channel of amplification
S
ERVICE
Should your VCC-5 require service, please follow
these procedures.
1. Verify that the problem is in the speaker by substitut-
ing a speaker that is known to be working in place of
the VCC-5.
2. Contact Vandersteen Audio, describe the problem
2. If you cannot hear a difference between the two set-
tings or you cannot decide which setting is better,
leave the switch on. In our opinion, the VCC-5 has
slightly lower coloration with the Proximity Com-
pensation turned on.
3. Once the switch has been set, it needs no further at-
tention unless the system is moved into a different
environment
needed, you can bridge a good sounding, lower powered
stereo amplifier into mono. To prevent system damage
from power line fluctuations or other unpredictable phe-
nomena, all the amplifiers in an audio/video system
should be turned off when the system is not being used.
Preamplifiers and CD players however, should be left on
due to their lengthy warm-up periods.
and the steps you have taken to isolate the problem to the
VCC-5. A Return Authorization is available on our
website, www.vandersteen.com, under customer ser-
vice .
3. Return the damaged or defective VCC-5 to Vander-
steen Audio packed in its original box. Include the
filled-out Return Authorization Form with the VCC-5.
