Bose Acoustimass 20 powered speaker system Sold from 1995 to 2004 User Manual

							 AM262838_00_V.pdf December 20, 2001 9
Connecting the Acoustimass® module to multi-room interface systems
Note:  To extend the length of the cables, use the supplied 50-foot extension cable (shown
in the dotted line above). This cable connects between the 30-foot audio input cable and the
3-foot VAR adapter cable.
To connect the Acoustimass 5 or 20 powered speakers to your system, follow these steps:
1. Using the supplied 30-foot audio input cable, insert the round DIN connector into the
Acoustimass module, and the RCA plugs into the supplied 3-foot VAR adapter cable
labeled VAR on the single-connector end.
2. Attach the single-connector end of the 3-foot VAR adapter cable to one of the unused
ROOM output jacks (B, C, D) on the rear of the multi-room interface (Figure 11).
Connecting power to your system
CAUTION: If you purchased a dual-voltage system, it is important that you set the speakers
to the correct voltage. To do this, refer to “Selecting the correct voltage” on page 6.
Follow these steps to connect power to your Acoustimass powered speaker system:
1. Plug the power cord from the Acoustimass module into an AC power (mains) outlet.
2. Insert the power cord of the Lifestyle
® system into an AC power (mains) outlet.
3. Turn the Acoustimass module power switch to the On position.
Operating in more than one room
Your Lifestyle® system Personal® music center can control up to four sets of Bose® powered
speakers, allowing your family to enjoy four different audio sources (CD, radio, TV, etc.) in up
to four rooms. These rooms are referred to as room A, B, C, and D, with room A being the
primary room (the one used for a one-room system). If two or more rooms are connected to
your system, the Personal music center displays ROOM and HOUSE buttons, and room
indicators (A, B, C, and/or D). Figure 12 shows a sample display for a two-room system.
OFF
POWER
ON
RIGHT
OUTPUTS
 TO
CUBE
 SPEAKERS
LEFTAUDIO
INPUTANTENNA
FM AM
LOCATE
MUSIC
CENTER
BOSE CDAUX VIDEO 1 VIDEO 2 TAPE IN OUT
L LLLL
R RRRRRECORD
ROOM A(PRIMARY)ROOM B
ROOM D ROOM CPOWER
SERIAL
D ATA!SEE USER’S
GUIDE
12V     AC
1.6A
AUDIO INPUTAUDIO OUTPUT
Note: Do not plug the AC power pack into a power outlet until all component connections
are complete.
Figure 11
Connecting the speakers to
your multi-room interface
Setting Up
VA R 
						

							10 December 20, 2001             AM262838_00_V.pdf
A boxed letter indicated the presently-selected room or rooms.
 B An unboxed letter indicates a room listening to a shared source.
An empty box appears for each connected room when you press the HOUSE button.
Turning on different sources in more than one room
Let’s say you have a two-room system (rooms A and B) and the entire system is off. To turn
on a different source in each room:
1. Wake up the touchscreen.
2. Press the ROOM button until the room indicator 
 is displayed. Press a source button,
such as VIDEO 1, to turn on the system and listen to your DVD player in room A.
Adjust the volume to the desired level.
3. Press the ROOM button again. The room indicator 
 is displayed. Press a different
source button, such as CD, to listen to a CD in room B. Again, adjust the volume to the
desired level.
4. Press the ROOM button again and notice that the room indicator 
 is displayed. You are
controlling room A once again and the display indicates that the VIDEO 1 source is on.
Setting up a shared source
Now, let’s say the system is already on and you want to play the FM radio in rooms A and B:
1. Wake up the touchscreen.
2. Press the ROOM button until the room indicator 
 is displayed. Press the FM source
button and adjust the volume to the desired level for room A.
3. Press the ROOM button again to select room 
. Press the FM source button and adjust
the volume to the desired level for room B. Now, the indicators A  
 are displayed.
4. Press the ROOM button again. The indicators 
  appear on the touchscreen indicat-
ing that you can control these two rooms together. Any button command given now
(SOURCE, VOLUME, MUTE, ON/OFF, SLEEP) is applied to both rooms.
The ROOM button lets you control a single room, or two or more rooms that share a source
The HOUSE button lets you control all connected rooms as one
The room indicators tell you what was selected by the ROOM or
HOUSE button
Figure 12
Example display for a two-room
system
Setting Up 
						

							 AM262838_00_V.pdf December 20, 2001 11
Using the HOUSE button
Using the HOUSE button, you can link all the rooms together and control them as one.
When you press the HOUSE button, an empty box indicator is displayed for each connected
room. Any button pressed after that (any source button, VOLUME, MUTE, or SLEEP) affects
every room. When you are done listening you can press OFF to turn off the entire system.
Note: If you do not press any other buttons after pressing HOUSE, pressing HOUSE again
cancels HOUSE mode.
Using more than one Personal®  music center
If you have a multi-room system, you can add Personal music centers for some or all of the
connected rooms. Each multi-room interface can be controlled by a maximum of four
Personal music centers. Each Personal music center can control up to four rooms.
Setting Up 
						

							12 December 20, 2001             AM262838_00_V.pdf
Connecting the Acoustimass® module to the Lifestyle® media center
Note:  To extend the length of the cables, use the supplied 50-foot extension cable (shown in
the dotted line above). This cable connects between the 30-foot audio input cable and the 3-
foot FIX adapter cable.
To connect the Acoustimass 5 or 20 powered speakers to your system (Figure 13), follow
these steps:
1. Using the supplied 30-foot audio input cable, insert the DIN connector into the
Acoustimass module, and the RCA plugs into the supplied 3-foot adapter cable labeled
FIX on the single-connector end.
2. Attach the end of the 3-foot FIX adapter cable to the ZONE 2 output jack on the rear of the
Lifestyle
® media center.
Setting up the remote control
You need to set up a second remote control to operate the ZONE 2 output.
1. Remove the remote control battery cover and locate the miniature switches (Figure 14).
2. Make sure that the house code settings (switches 1, 2, 3, and 4) match those on your first
remote.
3. Make sure switches 5, 7, and 8 are up, and 6 and 9 are down.
Note: Refer to your Lifestyle® system owner’s guide for more information on operating your
system in more than one room.
Figure 13
Connecting the speakers to
your Lifestyle® media center
OFF
POWER
ON
RIGHT
OUTPUTS
 TO
CUBE
 SPEAKERS
LEFTAUDIO
INPUT
OPTICAL
OPTICAL
DIGIT
AL RLLLLL
RR RR
DIGIT
AL
DIGIT
AL
DIGIT
AL
DIGIT
AL
INPUT
OUTPUT
AUDIO OUTPUTS
AUDIO INPUTS ANTENNA
SPEAKER
ZONES 21VIDEO INPUTS POWER
TV
SENSOR
IR
EMITTER
SERIAL
DA
TAFM AMRECORD
TAPE
AUX
VCR
TVCOMPOSITE     S-VIDEO
VIDEO OUTPUTS COMPOSITE     S-VIDEO7533V
DC1
.
1
AO
P
T
IC
A
L O
P
T
IC
A
L
D
IG
ITA
L RR
IN
P
U
TO
U
T
P
U
T
A
U
D
IO
 O
U
T
P
U
T
S A
N
T
E
N
N
A
S
P
E
A
K
E
R
Z
O
N
E
S 21 R
R
LF
M A
M75
FIX
ON
Figure 14
Setting up a Zone 2 remote
control
Setting Up 
						

							 AM262838_00_V.pdf December 20, 2001 13
Connecting power to your system
CAUTION:  If you purchased a dual-voltage system, it is important that you set the speakers to the
correct voltage. To do this, refer to “Selecting the correct voltage” on page 6.
Follow these steps to connect power to your Acoustimass powered speaker system:
1. Plug the power cord from the Acoustimass module into an AC power (mains) outlet.
2. Insert the power cords of the Lifestyle
® system into an AC power (mains) outlet.
3. Turn the Acoustimass module power switch to the On position.
Settings ( )
System Setup
System Setup (3 of 3)
Zone 2 Protocol: Normal
SOURCE / INPUT
MENU / NAVIGATION
SeekChannel
Chapter
Preset
TrackVolume
StopPausePlayPLAYBACK
Tune
Disc
On
OffMute
AllMuteCD/DVDChangerFM/AM
SettingsEnter
123
456
789
0
ShuffleRepeat
TVVCRAUX
Settings
Enter
Figure 14 a
Setting Zone 2 Protocol
Setting Up
Setting Zone 2 Protocol
For the Acoustimass® 5 or 20 powered speaker system to work properly with a Lifestyle® media center,
you will need to check the Zone 2 Protocol to ensure that it is set to Normal mode (Figure 14 a).
1. While your Lifestyle
® system is on, press the Settings button on your remote control. This will open
the on-screen display.
2.  Scroll down with the down-arrow button and select System Setup using the Enter button.
3.  You will now see a menu entitled System Setup (1 of 3). Scroll down to “more...”.
Continue to scroll down through (2 of 3) to (3 of 3). The last item on System Setup (3 of 3) is Zone 2
Protocol.
4.  If necessary, use the right-arrow button to set the protocol from Legacy to Normal.
5.  If you changed the Zone 2 Protocol, shut off the system and turn it on again; this ensures that the
Zone 2 Protocol is reset to Normal mode. 
						

							14 December 20, 2001             AM262838_00_V.pdf
Connecting the Acoustimass® module to the Model 20 music center
Note:  To extend the length of the cables, use the supplied 50-foot extension cable (shown
in the dotted line above). This cable connects between the 30-foot audio input cable and the
3-foot VAR adapter cable (Figure 15).
To connect the Acoustimass 5 or 20 powered speakers to your system (Figure 15), follow
these steps:
1. Using the supplied 30-foot audio input cable, insert the round DIN connector into the
Acoustimass module, and the RCA plugs into the supplied 3-foot adapter cable labeled
VAR on the single-connector end.
2. Attach the end of the 3-foot VAR adapter cable to the ZONE 2 output jack on the rear of
the Model 20 music center.
Setting up the remote control
You need to set up a second remote control to operate the ZONE 2 outputs.
1. Remove the remote control battery cover and locate the miniature switches (Figure 16).
2. Make sure that the house code settings (switches 1, 2, 3, and 4) match those on your first
remote.
3. Set switch 8 up for ZONE 2.
Figure 16
Setting up the remote control
Connecting power to your system
CAUTION: If you purchased a dual-voltage system, it is important that you set the speakers
to the correct voltage. To do this, refer to “Selecting the correct voltage” on page 6.
Follow these steps to connect power to your Acoustimass powered speaker system:
1. Plug the power cord from the Acoustimass module into an AC power (mains) outlet.
2. Insert the power cords of the Lifestyle
® system into an AC power (mains) outlet.
3. Turn the Acoustimass module power switch to the On position.
VAR
Figure 15
Connecting the speakers to
your Model 20 music center
Setting Up 
						

							 AM262838_00_V.pdf December 20, 2001 15
Connecting the Acoustimass® module to the Model 5 music center
Figure 17
Connecting the speakers to your
Model 5 music center
Note:  To extend the length of the cables, use the supplied 50-foot extension cable (shown
as the dotted line above).  This cable connects between the 30-foot audio input cable and
the music center.
To connect the Acoustimass 5 or 20 powered speakers to your system, refer to Figure 17 and
follow these steps:
1. Using the supplied 30-foot audio input cable, insert the round DIN connector into the
Acoustimass module.
2. At the other end of that cable, connect the RCA plugs to SPEAKERS B and the 3.5 stereo
mini plug to SYSTEM CONTROL 2 on the music center.
Setting up the remote control
You need to set up a second remote control to operate the SPEAKERS B outputs.
1. Remove the remote control battery cover and locate the miniature switches (Figure 18).
2. Make sure that the house code settings (switches 1, 2, 3, 4) match those on your first
remote.
3.   Set switches 5 down and 6 up for SPEAKERS B.
Figure 18
Setting up the remote control
Connecting power to your system
CAUTION: If you purchased a dual-voltage system, it is important that you set the speakers
to the correct voltage. To do this, refer to “Selecting the correct voltage” on page 6.
Follow these steps to connect power to your Acoustimass powered speaker system:
1. Plug the power cord from the Acoustimass module into an AC power (mains) outlet.
2. Insert the power cord of the Lifestyle
® system into an AC power (mains) outlet.
3. Turn the Acoustimass module power switch to the On position.
Setting Up
234l
ON
5678
K40
L
I
F
E
S
T
Y
L
E
®
 
M
O
D
E
L
 
5
 
M
U
S
I
C
 
C
E
N
T
E
RL
RA
BS
P
E
A
K
E
R
SO
U
T
P
U
TT
A
P
ER
E
CP
L
A
YF
I
X
E
DO
U
T
P
U
TL
RA
U
XV
I
D
E
O
S
O
U
N
DA
N
T
E
N
N
A1
2 S
Y
S
T
E
M
C
O
N
T
R
O
LSEE INSTRUCTION MANUALP
OW
ER
12V
A
C
     I
N
1.0AAM 
LOOP
FM
 75ΩBOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA  01701-9168 MADE IN U.S.ACOVERED BY U.S. PATENT D339,606MANUFACTURED:L
I
F
E
S
T
Y
L
E
®
 M
O
D
EL
 
5 M
U
S
IC
 C
E
N
T
E
RL
RA
BSPEAKERSOUTPUTTAPERECPLAYFIXED
OUTPUT
L
RAUXVIDEO
SOUNDANTENNA
1
2 SYSTEM
CONTROL
S
E
E
 
I
N
S
T
R
U
C
T
I
O
N
 
M
A
N
U
P
O
W
E
1
2
V
A
C
 
 
1
.
0
AA
M
 
L
O
O
P
F
M
 
7
5Ω701-9168 MADE IN U.S.A
OFF
POWER
ON
RIGHT
OUTPUTS
 TO
CUBE
 SPEAKERS
LEFTAUDIO
INPUT 
						

							16 December 20, 2001             AM262838_00_V.pdf
Fine-tuning your system
In most situations, you only need to follow the speaker placement guidelines for your system
to provide excellent sound quality.
You do not need to adjust tone settings for changes in volume, since Bose
® patented signal
processing technology provides a natural tonal balance over the full range of volume settings.
If desired, you can further fine-tune your system as described below.
Adjusting speaker controls
The TREBLE and BASS controls are located on the Acoustimass® 5 and 20 music systems’
Acoustimass module (Figure 19). They allow you to adjust the treble (high frequencies) and
bass (low frequencies). In the normal setting, the dots on each control are in the 12-o’clock
position. Turn the controls clockwise to increase and counterclockwise to decrease the
amount of treble or bass.
Compensating for room acoustics
The acoustics (sound qualities) of your room can affect the overall sound quality of any
speaker system. In general, you can reduce many problems with acoustics by the careful use
of the TREBLE and BASS controls.
Too much or too little treble
Rooms with too few sound-absorbing furnishings, especially those with bare floors and walls,
may sound overly shrill or “bright.” Turning down the treble control (toward –) decreases
treble sound.
Rooms with a lot of sound-absorbing furnishings, such as upholstered furniture, wall-to-wall
carpet, or heavy drapes, may reduce the treble sound of your system. Moving speakers
farther away from soft furnishings increases treble. You can increase treble sound by slightly
turning up the treble control (toward +).
Too much or too little bass
You can decrease bass sound by turning down the bass control (toward –). To increase bass,
turn up the bass control (toward +).
Acoustimass module placement affects the amount of bass you hear. Placing the module
closer to the corner of the room will increase bass. Moving the module away from the corner
will decrease bass.
Figure 19
Bass and treble controls
®
T
r
e
b
l
e
B
a
s
s
Setting UpSetting Up
English 
						

							 AM262838_00_V.pdf December 20, 2001 17
Troubleshooting
Problem What to do
System does not function at all• Make sure the power connector is plugged securely into the music center, the power cord is
plugged securely into the Acoustimass® module, the power pack and power cord are
plugged into operating AC wall outlets, and the module power switch is on.
•Be sure to select a source (CD, AM/FM, etc.).
•Unplug the music center power pack for a minute, then reconnect it. This allows the unit to
reset itself after a power surge or power interruption.
No sound•Turn the music center off for ten seconds, then on again, to re-establish communication
between the music center and the speakers.
•Check the connections for any external components. Make sure to select the
correct source for the desired input.
•Check the speaker connections.
•Be sure the CD is placed correctly, label-side up, in the music center, and the cover is
closed.
•Increase the volume.
•Check to see if MUTE is lit in the display. Press MUTE on the remote to unmute the sound.
•Disconnect any headphones.
•Connect the FM and AM antennas.
Volume at maximum level•For Lifestyle® DVD systems, check Zone 2 Protocol in the System Settings menu. This
must be set to Normal.
• For Lifestyle
® DVD systems, check that the FIX adapter cable is plugged into the Zone 2
 output. If it is not, replace VAR 3-foot adapter cable with FIX 3-foot adapter cable.
Note: Your Acoustimass powered speaker system should be mounted only in the manner
recommended by Bose. Consult the instructions supplied with the mounting accessories.
Accessories
The following accessories are available to enhance the flexibility of your Bose® powered
speaker system. Contact your Bose dealer or call Bose directly.  Refer to the address list
enclosed in the product packaging for correct phone numbers.
UB-20:    High-quality cast zinc bracket for wall or ceiling mounting.
UFS-20:  Slender metal floor stands, 37H (93.98 cm), elegantly display cube speakers
while hiding the speaker wires.
UTS-20:  High-quality cast aluminum stands, 7H (17.78 cm), for placement
on a flat surface, like a bookshelf or table.
Customer Service
For assistance, contact Bose customer service. Refer to the address list enclosed in the
product packaging for correct phone numbers.
Product Information
and cannot be adjusted
Hear only static
English
Product Information 
						

							18 December 20, 2001             AM262838_00_V.pdf
Technical Information
Power rating
USA/Canada: 120VAC, 50/60 Hz, 350W
Dual Voltage: 115/230VAC, 50/60 Hz, 350W
Dimensions
Acoustimass® 5 powered speaker system:
Cube speakers: 3.1W x 4D x 6.2H (7.8 x 10.2 x 15.8 cm)
Acoustimass module: 23.3W x 7.5D x 14H (59 x 19 x 35.5 cm)
Acoustimass 20 powered speaker system:
Jewel Cube
® speakers: 2.2W x 3.2D x 4.4H (5.6 x 8.2 x 11.2 cm)
Acoustimass module: 23.3W x 7.5D x 14H (59 x 19 x 35.5 cm)
Weight
Acoustimass 5 powered speaker system:
Cube speakers: 2.4 lb (1.11 kg); Acoustimass module: 33 lb (15 kg)
Acoustimass 20 powered speaker system:
Jewel Cube
® speakers: 1 lb (.5 kg); Acoustimass module: 33 lb (15 kg)
Finish
Cube speakers: Polymer, painted
Acoustimass module: Vinyl veneer
Warranty period
The Acoustimass 5 and 20 powered speaker systems are covered by the Bose® limited one-
year 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
Corporation.
Cleaning the Acoustimass 5 or 20 powered speaker system
Clean the surface of your speakers with a soft, damp cloth. Do not use any sprays near the
system. Do not use any solvents, chemicals, or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammo-
nia, or abrasives. Do not allow liquids to spill into any openings.
The speaker grille panels require no special care, though you may vacuum them carefully with
a soft-bristled attachment, if necessary.
Product Information
English