REL Acoustics Limited North Road, Bridgend industrial Estate . Bridgend, CF31 3TP . United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1 656 768 777 . Fax: +44 (0) 1 656 766 093 Web: www.rel.
Operating Instructions for the Habitat1 Sub-Bass Systems
Important Safeguards 1 Read all of these instructions. 2 Save these instructions for future use. 3 Heed all warnings. 4 Follow all instructions. 5 Unplug from the wall socket before cleaning. Clean only with polish and micro fiber cloth. 6 Keep away from water or other liquids. Do not rest drinks, vases or other liquid-filled items on the unit. 7 Do not place on a stand or table. It may fall causing injury to a child or adult and damage to the unit.
Warning This item is heavy. To avoid risk of injury, take care when handling. Design Safety This apparatus is supplied with a detachable mains cord. For 220V operation a 1.6A fuse is fitted in the socket, for 120V operation a 3.16A fuse is fitted. Should the fuse need to be replaced use a similar rated fuse approved to ASTA or BSI 362 standards. Do not use without the fuse cover in place. Replacement fuse covers are available from your distributor.
Table of Contents I Welcome to REL.......................................................................................................................................... 4 II Intro to Habitat1......................................................................................................................................... 6 III Habitat1 Connection Legend......................................................................................................................
Environmental Bass™: Moreover, our clients are not merely experiencing music, film and television-based entertainment via multiple new formats, they are choosing to use their environments in ways that better support their busy lifestyles. From sophisticated urban loft-dwellers, to suburban families leading busy lives raising children while on-the-go, to film lovers who wish to watch what they want, when they want we all are demanding more from our environment.
Introduction to the Design of Habitat1 Habitat1 Sub-Bass System Many or most loudspeakers emphasize the mid-bass. This is the range from 50 to 90 Hz. We at REL believe this is an incomplete approach and that loudspeakers need to be extended in the lower frequencies for true full range reproduction. All of our designs are true Sub-Bass Systems, meaning they are designed to reproduce very low frequencies (below 30 Hz) that are felt rather than heard.
REL Habitat1 Panel Connection Legend REL Longbow™ Transmitter 3 4 5 2 1 1 Power Adapter Socket: DC input socket that accepts a detachable power adapter. 2 H IGH-LEVEL INPUT (Neutrik® Speakon® Socket): Use to connect HIGH-LEVEL to the main front amplifier speaker terminals. 3 L OW-LEVEL INPUT: Used to connect LOW-LEVEL to the output of a preamplifier, integrated amplifier or receiver ONLY when HIGH-LEVEL INPUT cannot be properly connected. (For home cinema, use.1/LFE INPUT). 4 .
9 Pair Switch: Used to pair Habitat1 cabinet with REL Longbow™ transmitter. 10 Phase Switch: Used to set phase 0-180 degrees. REL Habitat1 Back Panel 11 12 13 14 15 11 . 1/LFE INPUT: Used to connect to the .1/LFE output from a 5.1 amplifier of processor. Should be used in conjunction with REL HIGH-LEVEL connection for the ultimate theater experience.
Connecting Up The Habitat1 is intended to be used with a REL Longbow™ transmitter which is supplied with each of these subwoofers. Both the Habitat1 subwoofer cabinet and the Longbow™ transmitter will require AC power from a wall plug. There is an AC cable supplied for the subwoofer cabinet and a power adapter cable supplied for the transmitter.
Connecting to the Power Amplifier Using the Speakon HIGH-LEVEL INPUT To engage the Neutrik Speakon plug, insert fully into socket and rotate clockwise until locked. To remove the Neutrik Speakon plug, grip body of plug, place thumb on chrome lever, move lever backwards, rotate plug anticlockwise quarter turn and withdraw. The HIGH-LEVEL input is designed to accept the stereo (two-channel) signals from the speaker terminals of your receiver, integrated amplifier or basic amplifier.
These connections can be made on the Habitat1 through the REL Longbow™ transmitter, or direct to the back panel of the cabinet. In the case of connecting directly, only the subwoofer cabinet will need power. Using input connections to both the REL Longbow™ transmitter and direct to the Habitat1 back panel are not permitted.
• The standard HIGH-LEVEL hook up procedure is: attach the red wire to the amplifier’s right positive speaker output terminal; attach the yellow wire to the amplifier’s left positive speaker output terminal; attach the black wire to whichever of the amplifier’s ground output terminals is convenient; plug the Speakon connector into the Longbow™ wireless transmitter’s HIGH-LEVEL input. Use the Longbow™ for wireless connection. Use the HIGH-LEVEL input on the rear of the Habitat1 for direct wired connection.
• If connecting two RELs in a stereo configuration, connect the black wire of each REL to the negative speaker terminal of the corresponding amplifier channel; twist together the red and yellow wires of each REL separately and connect each pair to the positive speaker terminal of the corresponding amplifier channel.
• If connecting a REL as a dedicated rear channel sub, connect the black wire of the REL to either the left rear or right rear negative speaker terminal; connect the yellow wire to the left rear positive speaker terminal; connect the red wire to the right rear positive speaker terminal. LOW-LEVEL connection (via phono connector) is always an option if HIGH-LEVEL connection is not possible.
Pairing Now that the Longbow™ wireless transmitter is connected to you amplifier (ideally using the High Level cable), unpack the Habitat1 subwoofer and place on a clean sheet or towel to protect finish. Each Habitat1 comes pre-paired with its REL Longbow™ transmitter box. If the units need to be re-paired, or you would like to add more Habitat1 subs to the system, there are a few easy steps to follow. REL Habitat1 wireless sub bass systems come paired to a single transmitter out of the box.
Each Habitat1 will come out of the box independently paired to its own Longbow™ transmitter and will not have issues with “cross talk.” However, if there is a problem, repairing each Habitat1 for independent operation should eliminate cross talk.
4 I f you do not know where the studs in your wall are located use a “studfinder” (an inexpensive electronic tool that uses electronic pulses to locate denser objects, like studs, behind the sheetrock). 5 I f your wall is constructed out of a different material that does not use sheetrock and studs see number 6 and 7 in the below Setting Up section for more details. You may have a wider selection of locations for installation.
highest reasonable level expected for system playback. If you do not have access to this exact track, any music that you are familiar with and has repetitive bass will work. F or the purpose of locating the Habitat1 set the controls to the following settings: Adjust the crossover to a point where the Habitat1 and speaker are sure to share frequencies (about halfway up or slightly higher for smaller speakers).
moving it too far along the side wall will result in the listener’s ability to locate it, reducing the seamless integrative abilities inherent to the REL design. If you are still unsure about which wall to choose and have several options with possible stud locations move on to step 4 which will further guide your decision. 5 L eft/Right (Horizontal) Location: Now that you have selected the wall for the Habitat1 it is time to determine the left/right location on the wall.
7 Selecting Location When Using Masonry Walls (Brick or Cement-based Building Blocks): All of the same notes and suggestions apply to locating Habitat1 in a room built using masonry. However, you are no longer limited by stud locations resulting in far more choices in placement. Use the same voicing technique described above, and note that front wall placement still generally results in the best overall performance.
Running In Care taken over running in will be rewarded by many years of pleasurable use. Both the electronics and the drive unit will benefit from an initial period of carefully controlled use. Possible damage may be sustained by running in the unit at too high a volume setting over an extended period. On the other hand, by taking a little care over this initial period, about 24 hours of actual use, a longer life with an eventual higher potential performance is assured.
3 C onnect to the center channel a third REL using ONLY the HIGH-LEVEL connection. This may be easily accomplished by connecting directly to the connection terminals on the rear of the center channel speaker. To do so, first twist the red and yellow leads together and connect to the positive terminal, then connect the remaining black lead to the negative (black) terminal on the rear of the speaker.
Mounting Before beginning the installation process, read the REL Setup Made Simple section for instructions about how to select the best location for Habitat1. The following step by step instructions guide a Habitat1 user in mounting the cabinet to a typical home wall made of studs with drywall finish or brick masonry walls. The Habitat1 must be securely anchored to the wall. There are two sets of mounting brackets for the Habitat1 cabinet.
Required (not supplied): - Philips screwdriver - Drill / driver - 14 inch ruler or tape measure - 4mm hex driver - Glue -Medium adhesion painter’s tape - Pencil - 3/32 drill bit - Level - 5mm hex driver - Stud finder -1 5/8 fine thread drywall screws (x2) (This is a suggested length. Your wall may require longer screws) 1 Remove grille and set aside on a clean surface. 2 M ount cabinet side brackets (brackets B and D) to the cabinet using flat head screws.
6 Next hold bracket A to the wall below the mark from the top bracket. 7 L evel the bracket against the wall and mark the screw hole locations. Make sure that the screws will hit the studs. 8 Drill a pilot hole for each screw hole using the drill/ driver and 3/32 drill bit. 9 P lace long gasket on the back side bracket A. Gasket must go between wall and bracket. Do not omit the use of this gasket.
10 S crew top bracket to wall using drywall screws. Make sure screws are tight and bracket is mounted securely to wall. 11 W ith top wall bracket (bracket A) in place, use the supplied wall mount template to locate the holes for bracket C. The supplied template works for wall studs that are about 400mm (16 inches) apart. If your wall studs are farther apart, you will need to contact your dealer to get a longer top bracket and this template will not work.
14 The type of anchor supplied will cut its own hole as you screw it in. 15 P lace short gasket on the back side of wall bracket C. Gasket must go between wall and bracket. Do not omit the use of this gasket. 16 S crew bottom bracket to wall with drywall screws. Make sure screws are tight and bracket is mounted solid to wall. 17 Connect AC cable provided to back panel of Habitat1. Lift cabinet to wall and lower onto brackets.
19 T he fit will be snug. Draw the cabinet into place using the three 13.5mm long cap head top mounting hardware. Tighten the three provided screws 1/2 turn at a time starting with one side and rotating through each one. Using this method will take several passes to get the screws tight. You will notice that with each pass the Habitat1 is evenly pulled into the bracket. 20 S ecure bottom bracket with the two 50mm long cap head hardware provided from the bottom side of the bracket.
21 Install Grille. Now that the Habitat1 sub woofer is mounted to the wall, it is time to revisit the settings to really dial in the system. Crossover and Level Settings: To determine the crossover point, take the volume of the REL (using the HI/ LOW Level control) all the way down, and put the crossover to 25 Hz. At this point bring the REL’s volume back up slowly to the point where you have achieved a subtle balance, i.e. the point at which you can hear the REL even with the main speakers playing.
Solid Wall Mounting Before beginning the installation process, read the REL Setup Made Simple section for instructions about how to select the best location for Habitat1. Wall anchors will be required to screw the top and bottom brackets to the wall. The supplied set of brackets should work with all types of solid walls. Both brackets are required for the Habitat1 to function properly. Two people are recommended for proper installation.
Required (not supplied): - Philips screwdriver - Drill / driver - 5/16 masonry drill - 4mm hex driver - Glue - Hammer - Level - Pencil - 14 inch ruler or tape measure bit - 3/16 masonry drill - 5mm hex driver -Medium adhesion painter’s tape - Size 8 Masonry anchors (X4) - 1 5/8 fine thread drywall screws (x2) (This is a suggested length. Your wall may require longer screws) 1 Remove grille and set aside on a clean surface.
5 Next hold bracket A to the wall below the mark from the top bracket. 6 Level the bracket against the wall and mark the screw hole locations. 7 Drill a pilot hole for each screw hole using the drill/ driver and 3/16 drill bit. 8 Drill hole for anchors using the drill / driver and 5/16 drill bit.
9 Put glue on masonry anchors before installing. 10 Push masonry anchor into wall and drive flush with hammer. 11 P lace long gasket on the back side bracket A. Gasket must go between wall and bracket. Do not omit the use of this gasket. 12 S crew top bracket to wall using screws. Make sure screws are tight and bracket is mounted securely to wall.
13 W ith top wall bracket (bracket A) in place, use the supplied wall mount template to locate the holes for bracket C. This template should work for all solid walls. Place template directly under bracket A and mark the holes indicated for your wall construction. The top of bracket C should be 323mm (12.7 inches) is below the top of bracket A. 14 Drill a pilot hole for the two screw holes using the drill / diver and 3/16 drill bit. 15 Drill hole for anchors using the drill / driver and 5/16 drill bit.
19 Connect AC cable provided to back panel of Habitat1 20 Lift cabinet to wall and lower onto brackets. 21 T he fit will be snug. Draw the cabinet into place using the three 13.5mm long cap head top mounting hardware. Tighten the three provided screws 1/2 turn at a time starting with one side and rotating through each one. Tighten the three provided screws 1/2 turn at a time starting with one side and rotating through each one. Using this method will take several passes to get the screws tight.
22 S ecure bottom bracket with the two 50mm long cap head hardware provided from the bottom side of the bracket.
Now that the Habitat1 sub woofer is mounted to the wall, it is time to revisit the settings to really dial in the system. Crossover and Level Settings: To determine the crossover point, take the volume of the REL (using the HI/ LOW Level control) all the way down, and put the crossover to 25 Hz. At this point bring the REL’s volume back up slowly to the point where you have achieved a subtle balance, i.e. the point at which you can hear the REL even with the main speakers playing.
Running In Care taken over running in will be rewarded by many years of pleasurable use. Both the electronics and the drive unit will benefit from an initial period of carefully controlled use. Possible damage may be sustained by running in the unit at too high a volume setting over an extended period. On the other hand, by taking a little care over this initial period, about 24 hours of actual use, a longer life with an eventual higher potential performance is assured.
Specifications Habitat1 Type: Sealed, two front-firing active woofers, one back-firing passive woofer Drive Unit: Two 6.5in., 165mm long-throw, steel chassis Passive Unit: 10in, steel chassis Lower Frequency Response: 38 Hz at -6 dB in room Input Connectors: High-Level Neutrik Speakon Low-Level single phono LFE single phono Input Impedance: High-Level: 150k Low Level: 10k .
Supplied Accessories Mains Lead: Yes Neutrik Speakon Interconnect: Yes (2 meter cable intended for use with Longbow™ transmitter) User Manual: Yes Longbow™ Transmitter Input Connectors: High-Level Neutrik Speakon Low-Level single phono LFE single phono Input Impedance: High-Level: 150k Low Level: 10k .1/LFE: 10k ohms Wireless output power: 11dBm Wireless effective distance: 50 ft (15.2 meters) with clear line of site 30 ft (9.