Bose Acoustimass 10 Series III home theatre speaker system Sold from August 2002 to July 2006 User Manual

							11
Setting Up
Figure 6
Acoustimass® module to 
receiver connections
Audio OutputLeft
Rear
Right
Rear
Left
FrontCenter
FrontRight
Front
Audio Input
SURROUND SPEAKERSRFRONT SPEAKERS ALLFE/SUBWOOFER
OUTR CENTERL
FRONT SPEAKERS A
R CENTERL
Note: Cables may be 
separated or “unzipped” 
as much as needed to 
comfortably reach the 
surround receiver 
connections.
Thumbscrews 
						

							12
Setting Up
Checking the connections
Check all connections from the receiver to the powered Acoustimass® module and from the 
module to the cube speakers (Figure 5 and Figure 6). Make sure the cube speakers are con-
nected to the proper terminals according to their position in your room. Check that the wires 
are connected to your surround receiver in phase (+ to + and – to –). Correct wiring problems 
before you plug your receiver in and turn it on. 
Connecting the Acoustimass module to power
Note: Bose® recommends using a quality surge suppressor on all electronics equipment. 
Voltage variations and spikes can damage electronic components in any system. A quality 
suppressor can eliminate the vast majority of failures attributed to surges and may be pur-
chased at an electronics store.
After you have checked all system connections, plug the power cord of the powered Acousti-
mass module into an AC (mains) receptacle. Your Acoustimass speaker system will turn on 
and off automatically as it receives a signal from your surround receiver.  
						

							13
Using your system
For realistic home theater sound
CAUTION: The Acoustimass® 6 and Acoustimass 10 speaker systems incorporate an auto-
matic protection circuit, which guards against most kinds of damage from electrical stress or 
overload. This circuit activates at high volume levels to reduce output, causing a slight 
decrease in volume. This is normal operation and indicates that power input may be exceed-
ing safe levels. Sustained listening at these levels is not recommended.
Adjusting the LFE level (low frequency effects)
The LFE level control on your powered Acoustimass module increases or decreases the rela-
tive level of low frequency effects on movie soundtracks. Use it to regulate the presence of 
these underlying deep bass sounds. Use the “test tones” feature in your digital surround 
sound receiver to match the volume levels for each of the cube speakers. Then use the LFE 
control on the Acoustimass module to match the volume of the LFE channel to the cube 
speaker channels.
Adjusting the bass/room compensation level
This feature will allow you to fine-tune your system after you have placed the Acoustimass 
module in your selected location. If the room sounds “thin” or lacks bass, turn the BASS con-
trol in a clockwise direction to increase the bass level of the module. If the room sounds 
“boomy” or has too much bass, turn the knob in a counter-clockwise rotation to reduce the 
bass level of the module. The factory or detent setting is appropriate for a majority of listening 
situations.
Setting your digital surround sound receiver 
Your Acoustimass 6 or Acoustimass 10 speakers are compatible with the output from digital 
surround receivers. Integrated Signal Processing assures full bass reproduction for all chan-
nels regardless of receiver settings. However, the following table suggests a set of recom-
mended receiver settings. The cube speaker arrays should be set to LARGE in the receivers 
digital display menu. The LFE, or subwoofer, is set to ON. If applicable, the crossover value 
should be set to the lowest number possible, typically 80 Hz.
L
F
E
B
A
S
S
LFELFE
BASS
Speaker Receiver setting
Front left and right LARGE 
Front center LARGE
Rear left and right LARGE
LFE/Subwoofer ON  
						

							14
Using your system
Be sure to get the digital audio signal
To be sure that the digital audio signal from your DVD player reaches your surround receiver, 
connect the digital audio output from your DVD player to the digital audio input on your 
receiver (Figure 7).
Before you play a DVD disc, be sure to select the digital ouput in the setup menu of your DVD 
Player. For additional setup and operating information, please refer to the owner’s guide that 
came with your surround receiver.
Figure 7
Digital signal connections 
on a surround receiver
Setting your analog surround sound receiver 
For analog surround sound (not digital) applications, we recommend that you set the sur-
round-sound center mode of your receiver to WIDE. Instructions for this process vary, 
depending on the brand and model of your surround receiver. Follow your receiver owner’s 
guide for testing and adjusting the balance of each speaker. 
SURROUND SPEAKERSR CENTERFRONT SPEAKERSR
LL REAR
DIGITAL
INPLAY IN
(OPTICAL)PLAY IN
(COAXIAL)
DIGITAL
INPLAY IN
(OPTICAL)PLAY IN
(COAXIAL)
Note: Use the OPTICAL or COAXIAL 
digital input connections, but not both
.
OR 
						

							15
Reference
Troubleshooting 
If you have a problem with your Acoustimass® speaker system, turn off your sound source 
and try the following solutions. If you still have a problem, contact your Bose® dealer to 
arrange for service. To contact Bose directly, refer to the list of service offices and phone 
numbers enclosed in the shipping carton.
Customer service
For additional help in solving problems, contact Bose customer service. See the list of service 
offices and phone numbers enclosed in the shipping carton. Problem What to do
System does not function 
at all•Make sure the receiver and powered Acoustimass module are plugged into an operating 
AC wall outlet and that the receiver is turned on.
•Be sure to select a source at the receiver (video, CD, DVD, tuner).
No sound•Check the speaker connections. 
•Make sure that the powered Acoustimass module is plugged in.
•For digital sound, be sure a coaxial or optical cable connects the digital output of the 
DVD player with the digital input on your receiver.
•Be sure the audio source selected is correct. For example, select DVD audio on your 
receiver and player for DVD sound.
•Disconnect any headphones. 
•Increase the volume. 
No sound from cube 
speakers•Be sure the powered Acoustimass module is plugged in and the receiver is turned on.
Sound is distorted•Make sure speaker wire is not damaged.
•Reduce the volume of external components connected to the receiver.
No bass•Be sure the speaker connections at the receiver/amplifier are correct (+ to + and – to –). 
Not enough or too much 
bass•Move the powered Acoustimass module closer to a wall or corner to increase bass. 
Move it farther away from a wall or corner to decrease bass.
•Adjust the LFE Level or Room Compensation control.
No surround sound•Be sure your receiver is processing a signal from a Hi-Fi VCR, stereo TV, laserdisc, or 
DVD player, or other surround-sound source.
•If you are using the Dolby Pro-Logic mode, check that surround-sound is turned ON.
•If you are using digital programming, verify that the settings are correct at the receiver.
•Be sure the source material (DVD, laser disc, or broadcast programming) is Dolby Digital 
encoded. 
						

							16
Reference
Cleaning the speakers
The cabinets of your Acoustimass® speaker system may be cleaned only with a soft dry cloth. 
Do not use any sprays near the system or allow liquids to spill into any openings. Also, do not 
use any solvents, chemicals, or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives. 
The grille assemblies on the cube arrays may be carefully vacuumed, if necessary. Please 
note that the drivers are located directly behind the grille cloth, and are easily damaged if 
reasonable care is not taken.
Technical information
Features
•Direct/Reflecting® speaker technology (Acoustimass 10 Series III System)
•Virtually Invisible
® speaker design
•Acoustimass speaker technology combined with Integrated Signal Processing
•Magnetically shielded cube speakers
•Automatic system protection circuitry
•Syncom
® computer quality control
Finish
•Cube arrays: Black or Arctic White finish
•Acoustimass module: Scratch-resistant Black or Arctic White textured finish
 
Acoustimass 6 Series III Acoustimass 10 Series III
Acoustimass 
module 
power ratingUSA/Canada: 
100-127V 50/60 Hz 135W
Europe/Australia: 
220-240V 50/60 Hz 135WUSA/Canada: 
100-127V 50/60 Hz 270W
Europe/Australia: 
220-240V 50/60 Hz 270W
Speaker 
driver com-
plementCube speakers: One 2.5-inch (6.35 
cm) TwiddlerTM speaker
Module: one 5.25-inch (13 cm) 
wooferCube speaker array: Two 2.5-inch 
(6.35 cm) TwiddlerTM speakers
Module: two 5.25-inch (13 cm) woof-
ers
ConnectivityCompatible with A/V receivers and 
amplifiers rated from 10 to150 watts 
per channel, rated from 4 to 8 ohmsCompatible with A/V receivers and 
amplifiers rated from 10 to 200 watts 
per channel, rated from 4 to 8 ohms
SizeCube speaker: 3.1H x 3.1W x 4.0D 
(7.9 cm x 7.9 cm x 10.2 cm)
Module: 16.3H x 8.1W x 22.3D 
(41.4 cm x 20.6 cm x 56.6 cm)Cube speaker array: 6.2H x 3.1W x 
4.0D (15.7 cm x 7.9 cm x 10.2 cm)
Module: 16.3H x 8.1W x 25.3D 
(41.4 cm x 20.6 cm x 64.3 cm)
WeightCube speaker: 1.1 lb (0.5 kg)
Module: 27 lb (12.2 kg)Cube speaker: 2.4 lb (1.1 kg)
Module: 35 lb (15.8 kg) 
						

							17
Reference
Warranty period
Your Acoustimass® speaker system is covered by a limited transferable warranty. Details of 
the warranty are provided on the warranty card that came with your system. Please fill out the 
information section on the card and mail it to Bose
®.
Accessories
•Table stands: UTS-20B (black), UTS-20W (white)
•Floor stands: UFS-20B (black), UFS-20W (white)
•Wall brackets: UB-20B (black), UB-20W (white)
•Module input cable adapter for use with existing wiring: 
PN 267138-001 (black)
PN 267138-002 (white)
•Module-to-cube speaker cable adapter for use with existing wiring: 
PN 267139-001 (black)
PN 267139-002 (white)
•Module 20 ft (6.1 m) input extension cable: 
PN198221-001 (black)
PN198221-002 (white) 
						

							©2002 Bose Corporation, The Mountain,
Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
264887 AM Rev.00 JN20952