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Owners Manual

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1) Read the Instructions All saety and operating instructions should be

read beore the subwooer is operated.

2) Retain the Instructions Te saety and operating instructions should beretained or uture reerence.

3) Heed Warnings All warnings on the subwooer and in the operating

instructions should be ollowed.

4) Follow Instructions All operating and use instructions should

be ollowed.

5) Water and Moisture Te subwooer should NO be used near water or

example, near a bathtub, washbowl, sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement,

near a swimming pool, etc.

6) Ventilation Te subwooer should be situated so that its location or

position does not interere with its proper ventilation. For example, the

subwooer should not be situated on a bed, soa, rug, or similar surace

that may block airfow over the heatsink ns. I placing the subwooer in

a built-in installation, ensure that airfow to the heat sink at the rear o

the subwooer is not impeded. Do not cover the subwooer heatsink with

tablecloths, curtains, etc.

9) Heat and Flames Te subwooer should be situated away rom heat

sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, replaces, or other devices

which produce heat. Do not place candles on top o or near the subwooer.

10) Power sources Te subwooer should only be connected to a power supply o

the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the subwooer.

11) Power Cord Protection Power-supply cords should be routed so that they

are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against

them, paying part icular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles,

and the point where they exit the subwooer.

Te lightning fash with arrowheadsymbol, within an equilateral triangle, isintended to alert the user to the presenceo uninsulated dangerous voltage within

the products enclosure that may be osu cient magnitude to constitute a risk oelectric shock to persons.

WARNING:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT EXPOSE THIS PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTIONRISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVEAMP PANEL OR SPEAKER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER

SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

Te exclamation point within anequilateral triangle is intended to alert theuser to the presence o important operatingand maintenance instructions in theliterature accompanying the product.

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12) Cleaning Te subwooer should be cleaned only as recommended in the

operating instructions.

13) Nonuse Periods Te power cord o the subwooer should be unplugged

rom the outlet when the subwooer is le unused or long periods o time.

14) Lightning and Power Surges We recommend that you disconnect the

subwooer rom the electrical outlet during electrical storms and/or recurringpower interruptions to prevent damage due to power surges.

15) Object or Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not all

into and liquids are not spilled onto the subwooer enclosure. Do not expose

the subwooer to dripping or splashing rom liquids. Do not place objects

lled with liquids on top o, or near the subwooer. For example: fower vases,

beverages, liquid-ueled lamps, etc.

16) Damage Requiring Service Te subwooer should be serviced by qualied

service personnel when:

a. the power-supply cord or plug has been damaged

b. objects have allen or liquid has been spilled into the subwooerc. the subwooer has been exposed to rain

d. the subwooer does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked

change in perormance

e. the subwooer has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged

. the subwooer drivers cone and/or suspension has been

physically damaged

17) Servicing Te user should not attempt to service the subwooer beyond

what is described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be

reerred to qualied service personnel.

18) Overloading Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or outlet stripsas this can result in a risk o re or electric shock.

19) Grounding Tis subwooer is supplied with a three-prong, grounded

power cord. Precautions should be taken so that the grounding means o the

subwooer are not deeated. Deeating the grounding prong on the subwooer

power cord could increase the risk o electric shock and could result in

permanent damage to the subwooers electronics.

WARNING

THIS SUBWOOFER IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HIGH SOUNDPRESSURE LEVELS. PLEASE EXERCISE RESTRAINT IN ITS OPERATION TOPROTECT YOUR HEARING FROM PERMANENT DAMAGE.

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FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENTNOE: Tis equipment has been tested and ound to comply with the limits o Part 15 o the FCCRules. Tese limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmul intererence ina residential installation. Tis equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio requency energyand, i not installed in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmul intererence to radiocommunications. However, there is no guarantee that intererence will not occur in a particularinstallation. I this equipment does cause harm ul intererence to radio or television reception,which can be determined by turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try tocorrect the intererence by one or more o the ollowing measures:

- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent rom that to which thereceiver is connected.

- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/V technician or help.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Important Saety Instructions: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Introduction:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Product Overview: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Placing your Gotham in Your Listening Room: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

Unpacking your Gotham: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Front Control Panel Layout: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Rear Control and Connector Panel Layout: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Front Panel Controls in Detail : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17

Connecting your Gotham(s): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-25

Recommended Setup Procedure: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-30

Frequently Asked Questions: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Cleaning Your Gotham: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

roubleshooting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Limited Warranty / Service Inormation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Specications: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

INTRODUCTIONCongratulations on your purchase o a JL Audio Gotham powered

subwooer system. Tis product has been critically

engineered to deliver exceptional perormance in your home

theater or audio system or many years to come.

As a company, we are intensely committed to core research into

high-perormance loudspeaker and amplier technologies. JL Audios long-

excursion subwooer driver designs are widely considered as reerence

standards or linear behavior and high output. We have also ocused our

eorts to create powerul amplier and signal-processing technologies

specically aimed at delivering exceptional low-requency perormance.

Your Gotham combines these core disciplines within a beautiully

craed package to deliver an unparalleled listening experience.

JL AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDED

IN GOTHAM SUBWOOFERS

DMA-Optimized Motor SystemDMA is JL Audios proprietary DynamicMotor Analysis system aimed atimproving dynamic motor behavior. As aresult o DMA optimization, loudspeakermotors remain linear in orce over an

extreme range o excursion and alsomaintain a highly stable xed magneticeld over a wide power range. Tis leadsto vastly reduced distortion and aithullyreproduced transients... or put simply:tight, clean, articulate bass.

OverRoll Surround

(U.S. Patent #5,687,247 and #5,949,898)Te OverRoll surround spans overthe drivers mounting fange, util izingavailable diameter wasted in conventionalspeakers. Tis allows the use o the widerroll necessary to control high-excursionswithout sacricing precious cone area.

W-Cone (U.S. Patent #6,496,590)Te W-Cone is a unit-body coneassembly that delivers astonishing conestiness with minimal mass.

Floating-Cone Attach Method(U.S. Patent #6,501,844)

Tis assembly technique ensures propersurround geometry in the assembledspeaker or better excursion control anddynamic voice coil alignment.

Plateau-Reinorced Spider Attachment

(U.S. Patent #6,118,884)Tis high-integrity suspension attachment

relieves stress rom the spider material athigh-excursions or enhanced reliability.

Elevated Frame Cooling echnology

(U.S. Patent #6,219,431 and #6,229,902)Delivers cool air, through slots direct lyabove the top-plate, to the voice coil o thespeaker. Tis enhances power handlingand sound quality by minimizingdynamic parameter shis and powercompression.

Radially Cross-Drilled Pole Piece

(U.S. Patent #6,243,479)Tis innovative venting system greatly

enhances thermal d issipation and powerhandling by directing air fow onto thevoice coil ormer, working in conjunctionwith the Elevated Frame technology.

High-Damping Feedback Circuit(U.S. Patent #6,441,685)

Tis proprietary, discrete control circuitdesign allows our Class D switchingampliers to maintain an excellentdamping actor or improved transientbehavior and delity.

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We sincerely thank you or your purchase and invite you to read this

manual thoroughly in order to achieve the highest level o perormance with

your Gotham subwooer system. Enjoy.

PRODUCT OVERVIEWJL Audio Gotham subwooers combine two state-o-the-art JL Audio

subwooer drivers and an electronics/amplier package within a highlyoptimized enclosure to deliver an exceptional listening experience in your home

theater or home audio system.

Te subwooer drivers in your Gotham subwooer system are capable o

exceptional linear excursion without distress or audible distortion. Tese

exceptional drivers enable your Gotham to reproduce powerul low-requency

events with stunning impact and unprecedented accuracy. Derived rom JL

Audios legendary W7 design platorm, the Gotham drivers oer peak-to-peak

excursion capabilities well in excess o 3 inches (76mm) to comortably handle

the dynamics o the most demanding program material.

o get the most rom this long excursion driver platorm, prodigious amounts

o controlled power are needed. Our electronics engineering team conducted an

intense analysis o typical program material and its dynamic demands in orderto balance current draw and actual output power requirements relative to the

system's impedance characteristics. Aer careul study, a precisely engineered

switching amplier employing patented eedback technology was created. Tis

advanced design is capable o unclipped output voltage equivalent to 3800 watts

o RMS power when reerenced to the nominal loudspeaker impedance, allowing

us to take ull advantage o the drivers' ull excursion envelope.

Te beautiul cabinet enclosing the workings o your Gotham is also the result

o careul engineering. o contain the pressures created by the Gotham driver, we

utilize massive, berglass construction with extensive internal bracing eatures

and advanced assembly techniques.

Your listening room is the other enclosure that aects the way your bass will

sound. All rooms create a specic sonic signature, which must be eectivelymanaged to achieve well-balanced low requency perormance. o aid in this

process, the Gotham includes an extensive set o signal processing tools aimed

at optimizing your Gothams perormance within your listening space. Tese

eatures include JL Audios exclusive Automatic Room Optimization system.

As you can see rom this brie introduction, there is a lot o technology in this

subwooer. Te contents o this manual will explain the eatures, guide you through

the setup and tuning o your Gotham subwooer and help you achieve your

ultimate low-requency listening experience.

I you require assistance, we urge you to contact your authorized

JL Audio retailer or expert setup advice and service.

IMPORTANTIMPORTANT: IT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA TO READ THE NEXT SECTIONBEFORE UNPACKING YOUR GOTHAM. UNPACKING THE SUBWOOFER NEAR

ITS FINAL LOCATION IS RECOMMENDED.

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WARNINGWARNING:THE GOTHAM IS EXTREMELY HEAVY (405 LBS. / 184 KG) AND IS

VERY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE! PEOPLE WITH BACK PROBLEMS OR MEDICALCONDITIONS THAT PRECLUDE EXERTION SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO

UNPACK OR MOVE A GOTHAM.

WARNING:THE UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED PRECISELY.

FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN PRODUCT DAMAGE AND/OR INJURY.

WARNING: FAILURE TO HANDLE A GOTHAM CORRECTLY DURINGUNPACKING AND PLACEMENT CAN RESULT IN EXPENSIVE DAMAGE WHICH

IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

IMPORTANT: YOU WILL NEED AT LEAST TWO STRONG PEOPLE TO MOVE,UNPACK AND PLACE THE GOTHAM. (THREE PEOPLE ARE RECOMMENDED.)

IMPORTANT: BEFORE PLACING A GOTHAM IN YOUR LISTENING SPACE,MAKE SURE THAT THE FLOOR STRUCTURE IS CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING

THE WEIGHT OF THE PRODUCT. CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERIF NECESSARY.

IMPORTANT

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PLACING YOUR GOTHAM IN YOUR LISTENING ROOM:Your listening room or theater is an integral part o your sound reproduction

system. Te physical dimensions o the room and its urnishings, materials, doors

and windows play an important role in dening how your system sounds.

When you place a sound source in an enclosed rectangular space, standing

waves are created, resulting rom the relationship between the sounds

wavelength and your rooms dimensions. In other words, standing waves result

rom sound energy that is trapped in the room as it bounces back and orthbetween opposing walls. Standing waves in the room create acoustic peaks and

dips where the sound is either louder or soer, based solely on your physical

position in the room. Energy also builds up at the rooms boundaries, creating

exaggerated bass response at certain requencies. Tese undamental room

resonances are cal led room modes.

Te moral o this mode story is to try and avoid seating positions in standing

wave peak or dip regions. It is highly recommended that you place your listening

chairs in areas where modal peaks and dips are moderate and do not reinorce

one another. Te two most obvious areas to avoid are those near the exact center

o the room and those close to any o the rooms walls.

Just as your listening seat can be in a peak or dip region, so can your

subwooer. When placed in a room corner, a subwooer maximally excites therooms mode structure, creating the strongest output with the ewest dips. When

the subwooer is pulled away rom a corner or wall, the room modes are excited

less, which can alter the sound at your listening seat.

Be sure to experiment with both your listening seat position and subwooer

position to nd the best solution. Careul experimentation usually leads to a

superior sounding system. Use our setup suggestions (illustrated on the opposing

page and the ollowing pages) to get you started.

I you cannot avoid placing your soa against the back wall or your

subwooer in a less than optimal position, all is not lost. Your Gothams

Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.) System can dramatically improve

these less-than-ideal situations.

We recommend that you begin by placing your Gotham in the ront o the

room, near the ront lef or right speaker. Placing it directly in the ront corner

o the room will produce the maximum number o peaks and the minimum

number o dips in the bass response. Tis can be advantageous because the

Gothams A.R.O. system can correct the primary peak very eectively, whereas

dips in response cannot be corrected via equalization. Dips in response can only

be minimized via careul subwooer and listener placement.

Placing the Gotham near solid walls will reinorce bass response and pulling

it away rom solid walls will decrease bass. Increasing the distance between the

subwooer and the walls may help to smooth upper bass response in some rooms.

We recommend that you avoid placing the Gotham near windows to prevent

rattling and sound transmission to the outside world.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR HANDLING THE GOTHAMTe Gotham is extremely heavy and can be di cult to handle. Failure to

handle it correctly during unpacking and placement can result in expensive

damage which is not covered under warranty.

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M O RE INT ENSE

SMOOTHER

RECOMMENDED

SUBWOOFER

PLACEMENT

ZONES

(For Single Subwoofer)

SMOOT

HER

SMOO

THER

MORE INTENSE

SMOOTHER

SMOOT

HER

SMOOTHER

COMPROMISED SEATING POSITIONS(Results in weaker, uneven bass performance)

BEST SEATING POSITIONS(Most accurate bass performance)

COMPROMISED SEATING POSITIONS(More intense, but less accurate bass performance)

WORSTSEAT

CENTERLINE OF ROOM

APPROX. 1/3 OF TOTAL ROOM

LENGTH AWAY FROM BACK WALL

CLOSE TO BACK WALL OF ROOM

Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for One Gotham

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Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Two GothamsUsing Two Gothams

When using two Gothams, try

placement near the ront corners o the

room, at diagonally-opposite corners

o the room, or at the center points o

opposing walls as shown at right.

Experimentation with

subwooer and listenerplacement is recommended to

achieve the best results the

benets can be substantial.

High-resolution measurements

and proessional system calibration

are recommended or the best possible

results & system perormance.

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Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Three Gothams

Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Four Gothams

Using Three or Four Gothams

Research indicates that the

smoothest bass response or a large

listening area can be achieved using

our subwooers, placing one at

the midpoint o each o the our

walls (although using two or three

subwooers can be almost as good).Experimentation with

subwooer and listener

placement is recommended to

achieve the best results the

benets can be substantial.

High-resolution measurements

and proessional system calibration

are recommended or the best possible

results & system perormance.

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UNPACKING YOUR GOTHAMNow that you have determined your Gothams position in the room, you can

proceed with unpacking it near its intended location.

JLA_SKU#01121

Detailed instructions on unpacking the subwoofer:

1. Move the carton near its intended location in the room.

2. Open the top o the carton (observe markings on carton) and remove all o the

items included in the center o the box.

3. With the help o others and using the carton handles, gently lay the carton toone side holding the faps back and making sure a carton side without handles

rests acing up.

4. Again, holding the carton faps back and employing the help o others, careully

fip the box onto its top (open end). Te box will be upside-down and should

have all o the faps out rom underneath it.

5. Pull the carton straight up until it clears the subwooer and place to one side.

6. Remove the one-piece oam insert rom the top o the wooer and place

in the carton.

11. ilt the subwooer orward (toward its speaker/grille side) to remove the rear

split-oam insert and place in the carton.

12. ilt the subwooer in the opposite direction (towards its silver heatsink) to

remove the remaining split-oam insert and place in the carton.

13. Remove the protective cloth cover and place in the carton.

14. Install one o the included sliding discs under each o the Gothams three eet

to acilitate pushing/positioning the subwooer.

Te Gotham box should be unpacked closeto where the subwooer will be placed. Tesubwooer is packed upside down. Tis boxmust be fipped over CAREFULLY andEXACLY AS DESCRIBED to remove thesubwooer, minimize eort and avoid therisk o damaging the product.

IMPORTANT: DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE GOTHAM SUBWOOFER, PLEASEEXERCISE CAUTION WHILE UNPACKING AND POSITIONING IT TO PREVENTINJURY. ENLIST THE HELP OF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO FACILITATE THE

PROCESS. TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF INJURY, BEND YOUR KNEES AND LIFTWITH YOUR LEGS, NOT YOUR BACK.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE RETAIN ALL PACKAGING FOR SAFETRANSPORTATION OF THE SUBWOOFER AND FOR ANY FUTURE SERVICE.

* Te Gotham subwooer ships in a protective cloth cover that is not pictured in the unpackinginstructions above. Use the orientation o the Gotham above as a guide.

2

1

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT

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Front Control Panel

Te labeled Figure below depicts the ront control panel o a Gotham subwooer.

A.R.O.

page 14-15

Power

page 14

Input Mode

page 15Level Mode

page 15

Master Level

page 16

Lights

page 16

LP Filter

page 16

LP freq. (Hz)

page 16

e.l.f. trim (dB)

page 17

phase (deg.)

page 17

Polarity

page 17

calibration mic.

page 14

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Rear Controls and Connectors

Te labeled Figure below depicts the rear panel o a Gotham subwooer.

Balanced Inputspage 18

Unbalanced

Inputspage 19

IEC-Style AC

Connector

page 21

Output to

Slave Connector

page 21

Input Mode

Switches

page 20

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FRONT PANEL CONTROLS IN DETAILPower Switch

Te Power switch determines the operational readiness o the Gotham

subwooer and should be the only switch used to turn the Gotham on and o.

Do not use a power strip switch, switched outlet or any other external switch as

these may result in undesirable and potentially damaging transient pops. Do not

unplug the Gothams AC power cord while the unit is turned on.

Te power switch has three positions:On: Te Gotham is ully powered at all times. Front panel lights are on

unless they have been turned o via the Lights switch.

O: Te Gothams internal power amplier is powered down. In this state,

a negligible current draw will exist or operating the main power relays. All ront

panel lights are o.

Auto: Te Gotham will power up its internal amplier when an audio signal

is present at any o its inputs and will power down the internal amplier i no

signal has been detected at its inputs or thirty (30) minutes. When dormant,

the Gotham will draw a small amount o current to power its signal-sensing

circuitry. Front panel lights will turn o when the Gotham powers down and

light when the Gotham powers up (unless they have been turned o via the

Lights switch).

Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.)

A powerul eature o the JL Audio Gotham subwooers is their innovative

Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.) technology. Tis one-touch system

serves to eliminate the single largest acoustic response peak in your home

theater at the main listening seat, greatly improving the in-room low-requency

response. Calibration o the A.R.O. system is ully automated and takes only a

ew minutes to accomplish. Please consult the next section o this manual or

details on how to use the A.R.O. system

Using the included JL Audio calibration microphone, the A.R.O. calibration

procedure takes less than three minutes. In brie, you will connect the included

microphone to the Calibration Mic. input, press the Calibrate button, and thenhold the microphone at ear height in your main listening seat during the test.

A series o tones will be played through the Gotham subwooer, and the room

response will be automatically measured, analyzed and equalized to eliminate

the single largest acoustic room response peak at your listening seat. For detailed

instructions on the A.R.O. setup procedure, reer to pages 29-30.

Calibration Mic. Input

Tis input is or connecting the supplied JL Audio calibration microphone to

the Gotham subwooer. Connect one end o the supplied cable to the microphone

and the other end to this jack prior to using the A.R.O. system. Te A.R.O.

system is specically calibrated to this microphone and its connection scheme

is specic to the supplied microphone. Te calibration sequence will not operate

when a dierent microphone is connected or i no microphone is connected.

Demo Button

Te Demo button triggers a 20 second long tone sequence that briefy

demonstrates the signals used during A.R.O. calibration. Te Demo unction is

useul or showcasing the output capability o the Gotham and to veriy that the

Gotham (or multiple Gothams) are operational during system troubleshooting.

IMPORTANT

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o activate the demonstration sequence, press and hold the Demo button or

approximately 2 seconds (this built in delay helps prevent accidental activation).

Pressing and holding the Demo button will activate the demo sequence even i

the A.R.O. deeat unction is active (see below.) Once the demonstration sequence

is complete, the Gotham will return to its previously set operating condition.

Defeat Button

Te Deeat button turns o or deeats the A.R.O. calibration systemand equalizer. Use this eature when you want to be sure that the A.R.O.s

equalization is not in the signal chain. You can also use the Deeat button

to audition both the normal and the A.R.O. optimized settings in your home

theater room. Tis is a great way to audibly veriy what eect the A.R.O. has in

your room.

I Demo or Calibrate is pressed while the deeat unction is active,

Deeat is automatically canceled. No other ront panel controls will alter the

A.R.O. Deeat state.

Calibrate Button

Te Calibrate button activates the ARO test sequence. Te calibration routine

will not start unless the supplied JL Audio test microphone is plugged into theGotham subwooer. Once the calibration routine is complete, the green light

in the center o the Calibrate button will light and remain illuminated. Tese

settings are stored by the Gotham and will remain in memory even i power is

disconnected.

During the ARO test sequence the Calibrate buttons green LED will alert the

user to two special conditions:

1. Subwooer level too low or A.R.O. calibration via slow blinking,

approximately one blink per second

2. Subwooer level too high or A.R.O. calibration, approximately three

blinks per second.

Input Mode Indicators

Te Input Mode indicator LEDs show the input mode, either Master or

Slave, selected by the switch on the Gothams back panel (unless the Lights

switch is set to o). For urther details, see page 20.

Level Mode

Te two-position Level Mode switch allows you to select between the

ollowing modes:

Reerence

In this mode, the Master Level control knob has no eect on the Gothams

output level. Use this setting i you will primarily be controlling the subwooer

level via your receiver or preamplier/processor. For those o us with small

children or overenthusiastic teenagers, this mode o operation will prevent direct

manipulation o the Master Level.

Variable

In this mode, the Master Level control knob determines the output level o the

Gotham subwooer. Tis mode is also useul when level matching the Gotham

subwooer to a pair o stereo speakers in a two-channel system. Variable level

operation is needed or proper A.R.O. calibration.

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Master Level Knob

Te Master Level Knob is used to control the output level o the Gotham when

the Variable Level mode is selected on the ront control panel.

When rotated ully counter clockwise, the Gothams output will be ully

muted. When at the 0 or straight up position, the Variable gain level matches

the Reerence level setting. When turned ully clockwise, the Gothams output

level is 15 dB higher than the Reerence setting.

Lights

Te Lights selector switch allows the user to select one o three indicator

light modes.

O turns o all o the ront panel lighting at all times.

Dim sets all o the ront panel lighting to a low brightness level when the

Gotham is turned on.

On sets all o the ront panel lighting to ull brightness level when the

Gotham is turned on.

LP Filter

Te Low Pass (LP) Filter selector switch determines the operating mode o the

Gothams built-in low pass lter.

O deeats the low pass lter, completely removing this circuit rom the

signal path.

12 dB sets the roll o slope o the low pass lter to a 12 dB per octave slope

(Butterworth alignment).

24 dB sets the roll o slope o the low pass lter to a 24 dB per octave slope

(Linkwitz-Riley alignment).

Te 24 dB setting more aggressively attenuates high requencies above the

LP Frequency setting (see below). I you are using the Gothams built-in low passlter, experiment with the LP Filter slope setting to achieve the best transition

to your satellite speakers. I you preer to use the lters and bass management

eatures in your receiver or preamplier, deeat the

on-board lter by selecting the O position.

LP Freq

Te Low Pass (LP) Frequency selector knob allows the user to choose the roll-

o requency o the Gothams internal low pass lter. Te requency is variable

between 30 Hz (ull counter-clockwise) to 130 Hz (ull clockwise). Tis knob

does not aect the input signal in any way i the LP Filter switch is set to O.

80 Hz is a commonly used lter requency and usually serves as a good starting

point or adjustments.

IMPORTANTIMPORTANT: WHEN TROUBLESHOOTING OR CALIBRATING THE A.R.O.

FEATURE, MAKE SURE THAT THE LIGHTS SWITCH IS SET TO DIM or ON.

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E.L.F. Trim

Te Extreme Low Frequency (e.l.. trim) knob allows the user to apply

a certain amount o signal equalization at 25 Hertz (extremely low bass). At

ull counterclockwise rotation, the signal at 25 Hz is cut by 12 dB. At 0 the

equalizer is set fat or zero contribution to the signal. At ull clockwise rotation,

the signal at 25 Hz is boosted by 3 dB.

Te E.L.F. rim eature is useul or tailoring the Gothams very low

requency output or your particular room. Adding some boost can make certainmaterial more exciting. Using the cut unction can help to compensate or room

or boundary gain in the low requencies. Room boundaries and the rooms

nite (limited) size naturally cause very low requencies to be boosted relative to

other parts o the signal. As such, using the E.L.F. rim eature to cut the lowest

requencies can help to tame bloat or unnatural sounding low bass in small to

medium sized rooms (and can also reduce unwanted vibrations in the room or

throughout the house).

Polarity

Te Polarity switch allows the user to select between normal (0 deg) and

reversed (180 deg) signal polarity. Te Polarity switch will primarily aect the

small requency range around the crossover point between your subwooer andsatellite speakers.

Unlike the Phase control, which eectively adds time delay, the Polarity

switch produces an instantaneous reversal o the signals amplitude peaks.

For example, i at a given reerence point a sine wave has an amplitude peak,

by fipping the phase switch you instantly convert that peak into a trough

or amplitude dip. Because the eect o the Polarity switch is immediate, it

compliments the operation o the Phase control and cannot be replaced by it.

When placing your Gotham in the room, experiment with the Polarity switch

beore adjusting the Phase control. Either position o the Polarity switch may

provide a smoother transition between your Gotham subwooer and the satellite

speakers. Use source material with good mid and upper bass content or evaluation.

Phase

Te Phase control knob allows the user to adjust the timing o the

subwooer output relative to the main speakers. Te Phase control will primarily

aect the small requency range around the crossover point between your

subwooer and satellite speakers. Te Phase controls labels are reerenced to 80

Hz since this is the most common crossover point between satellite speakers and

a subwooer. Phase settings between 0 degrees (ull counter-clockwise rotation)

and 280 degrees (ull clockwise rotation) are possible.

Speaker, subwooer, and listening seat positions vary greatly in home

theater installations. Since physical positioning o speakers relative to the room

boundaries and each other greatly aects the perceived quality o sound output,

sometimes it is helpul to delay the subwooer output. Tis is exactly what occurs

when you turn the Phase control beyond 0 degrees.

Once your Gotham has been placed in your listening room to give you the

smoothest overall sound and aer you have determined the optimum Polarity

switch position (see preceding section), experiment with the position o the Phase

control. Using amiliar source material with good mid and upper bass content,

adjust the Phase control and listen or better dened mid-bass and a smoother

transition between the subwooer and satellite speaker systems. I no single

setting sounds better than another, leave the Phase control at 0 degrees.

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CONNECTING YOUR GOTHAMBalanced Inputs

I your home-theater receiver or preamplier/processor provides balanced

outputs, the Gothams balanced inputs are the preerred connection. Balanced

connections are used extensively in proessional studios and sound reinorcement

applications or a number o very good reasons. Besides ensuring proper grounding

between components, balanced signal transmission is designed to cancel induced

cable noise rom the surrounding environment (particularly important with longcable runs). Te bottom line is that your system will be ar less likely to exhibit

humming or other extraneous noises i you use balanced connections.

Te Gotham subwooers eature individual le and right balanced input

connections with XLR combo jacks. Tese special jacks accept either a

three-pin male XLR connector or a tip-ring-sleeve (RS) 1/4-inch (6.3 mm)

connector or compatibility with a wide range o equipment.

For systems with a mono subwooer or LFE channel connection, only the

jack labeled Le or Mono will be used. Tis applies to most modern multi-

channel receivers and preamplier/processors. Separate le and right input jacks

are provided or systems without a dedicated mono subwooer connection. Tis

typically applies to two-channel audio equipment.

Appropriate balanced cables are available rom your JL Audio dealer and arenot included with the Gotham.

echnical Notes:

Do not use the balanced inputs with unbalanced signals via adaptors.

Te unbalanced inputs o the Gotham are optically isolated and preerable in

situations where only an unbalanced signal source is available.

Input connectors are congured according to Audio Engineering Society

recommendations or balanced signal cables as ollows:

XLR Connection

Pin 1: Shield

Pin 2: Positive

Pin 3: NegativeRS connection:

ip: Positive

Ring: Negative

Sleeve: Shield

Te Le and Right inputs on the Gothamare internally summed to a single monochannel. Since the Gotham is inherently a

mono or single channel device, you canuse the Le and Right inputs or the masterGotham and then distribute the summedmono signal to additional slave Gothamsin the system.

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT: IF YOUR RECEIVER OR PREAMPLIFIER/PROCESSOR DOES NOTHAVE XLR OR 1/4-INCH TRS BALANCED OUTPUTS, PLEASE REFER TO THE

UNBALANCED INPUTS SECTION ON PAGE 19 FOR INPUT CONNECTIONINFORMATION. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONNECT UNBALANCED OUTPUTS

TO THE GOTHAMS BALANCED INPUTS VIA ADAPTORS.

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Unbalanced Inputs

Te Gotham subwooer eatures individual le and right unbalanced RCA-

type input connectors. Tese are the most commonly used connectors or home

audio applications and must be used i your receiver or preamplier/processor

does not provide balanced outputs. While unbalanced connections are not as

noise-immune as a balanced connection, Gotham subwooers employ optical

isolation on the unbalanced inputs to minimize the possibility o noise in your

system.For systems with a mono subwooer or LFE channel connect ion, only

the RCA-type jack labeled Le or Mono will be used. Tis applies to most

modern multi-channel receivers and preamplier / processors. Separate le and

right RCA-type input jacks are provided or systems without a dedicated mono

subwooer connection. Tis typically applies to two-channel audio equipment.

echnical Notes:

When balanced outputs are not available on the signal source, you must

use the RCA-type unbalanced inputs. Gothams eature optical isolation

circuitry on the unbalanced inputs to minimize the likelihood o ground

loop induced noise.

Connections are industry-standard or unbalanced signal cables as ollows:RCA-type connection:

ip: Positive

Sleeve: Negative

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT: IF NOISE EXISTS AFTER CONNECTION, GOTHAMS ALLOWFOR GROUNDING OR ISOLATION OF THE UNBALANCED INPUTS. PLEASEREFER TO THE INPUT MODE SWITCHES SECTION ON PAGE 20 OF THIS

MANUAL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON MINIMIZING NOISE.

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Input Mode Switches:

wo switches are located on the rear panel to control unbalanced signal

grounding and master/slave operation.

Grounded / Isolated Switch

Te Grounded / Isolated Input Mode switch aects only the unbalanced

RCA inputs and is designed to acilitate a quiet, hum-ree connection to your

audio or home theater system. Tis eature is included to deal with the signalgrounding issues oen encountered in home theater systems when several

components rom dierent manuacturers are interconnected.

Te Gotham ships with this switch in the Isolated mode. I, with all system

components connected and turned on (but no source material playing), you hear

a continuous low-requency hum through your Gotham, fip this switch to the

Grounded position and evaluate the dierence in the noise level. Use whichever

switch position provides the least hum or noise.

Master / Slave Switch

Te Gothams are designed to easily accommodate the implementation

o multiple subwooers in your home theater system through a master/slave

connection chain. Tis method allows you to utilize the signal processing

eatures o one Gotham to centrally control multiple Gothams in the room.

Master/Slave unctionality also makes it possible or the A.R.O. system to

optimize the response o a multiple subwooer installation.

Te Gotham ships with this switch in the Master position. I you are usinga single Gotham you will use the Master position and you need not concern

yoursel with this section any urther.

I your installation incorporates two or more Gothams, you will designate one

Gotham as the Master and all others in the system as Slave subwooers via

the Master/Slave switch on the rear amplier panel o each Gotham. LEDs on

the ront panel o the Gotham are provided to indicate whether the Master or

Slave mode is selected or a given subwooer.

From the Gotham operating in Master mode, the Output to Slave signal

carries any signal processing selected on the Master Gotham (including the

Master Level setting and A.R.O. processing) to urther Gothams operating in

Slave mode. Slave subwooer signal processing and level controls will be

inoperable. In this mode, the user does not have to worry about level, crossover,

and other settings or the slave subwooers.

echnical Notes:

Selecting the Slave position deeats all user-denable signal processing and

the master level control. Because o this, there are some special situations in

which you may want to operate a single Gotham in Slave mode. I you are

utilizing outboard signal processing and level-matching controls, activating

the Slave mode will prevent anyone rom aecting system parameters with

the manual controls on the Gotham.

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT CHANGING ANY COMPONENT IN THEOPTIMIZED SYSTEM RECEIVER, AMPLIFIER, DVD PLAYER, ETC. COULD

ALTER THE SIGNAL GROUNDING SCHEME AND CAUSE HUM TO APPEAR IN

YOUR PREVIOUSLY QUIET SYSTEM. IF YOU ADD OR CHANGE AN UPSTREAMCOMPONENT IN YOUR HOME THEATER SYSTEM, YOU MAY NEED TO

REVISIT THIS INPUT MODE SETTING ON THE GOTHAM SUBWOOFER FOROPTIMUM NOISE PERFORMANCE.

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Output to Slave Connector

I you are operating more than one Gotham subwooer in one home theater

system, you wil l designate one Gotham as the Master (see page 20), and then eedsignal rom it to the remaining Slave Gothams via this balanced XLR output.

Te Output to Slave cable can be connected to the Le or Mono balanced

XLR input on the next Gotham. When a Gotham is in Slave Mode, its Output

to Slave connection can be used to pass signal to urther Gothams operating in

Slave mode.

Te Output to Slave connector is designed to be used as ollows:

1) From the Master Gothams Output to Slave connector to the rst

Slave Gothams Le or Mono XLR balanced input.

2) From the rst Slave Gothams Output to Slave connector to the second

Slave Gothams Le or Mono XLR balanced input.

3) From the second Slave Gothams Output to Slave connector to the thirdSlave Gothams Le or Mono XLR balanced input. Etc, etc. (up to ten

Gothams may be connected in this conguration).Appropriate balanced

cables with XLR terminations are available rom your JL Audio dealer and

are not included with the Gotham.

echnical Notes:

Te Output to Slave signal carries any signal processing selected on the

Master Gotham (including the Master Level setting and A.R.O. processing)

to urther Gothams operating in Slave mode.

From Gothams operating in Slave mode, the Output to Slave signal is an

exact, buered replica o the balanced input signal, making this method o

signal distribution preerable to using Y-adapters or splitters. Use only shielded, connection cables with high quality XLR connectors or

Master/Slave connection. Never use unbalanced cables with adaptors.

IEC-Style AC Connector

Te IEC-style AC cord receptacle receives the heavy-gauge, 6 . (1.8 m) long,

power cord included with your Gotham subwooer. Your Gotham should only

be powered rom a 120 V AC, 60 Hz outlet. Do not use any AC power cord other

than the one supplied with the Gotham.

Te Gotham subwooer is a very powerul device and can draw a lot o current

when operated at high output levels. We recommend that a dedicated 15A or 20A

circuit be provided or each Gotham in the system and that these not be shared

with other electrical devices in the room. I too many components are connected

with a Gotham subwooer to one electrical outlet, you will likely trip a circuit

breaker during very demanding program material.

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT: PLEASE REFER TO THE SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAMS

ON PAGES 26-29 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON USING THE INPUT / OUTPUTCONNECTIONS.

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SYSTEM CONNECTION DIAGRAM 1:

One Gotham to

Home Theater Receiver or

Home Theater Preamp/Processor

Most home theater receivers andpreamp/processors provide a single(mono) subwooer output. Whenconnecting a mono subwooer output

to your Gotham, you will only use theGothams Le or Mono input.wo connection types are avai lable

or connecting the Gotham to yourhome theater system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your receiver orprocessor has balanced outputs, we highlyrecommend that you use them.

In the connection diagram at le,balanced connections are shown as solid

lines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods (not both).

SUBREAR

REAR CENTER

FRONT

FRONT

R

L

PRE OUT

PROCESSOR (BALANCED OUTPUTS) RECEIVER / PROCESSOR (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS)

OR

OUTPUTS

g213

GOTHAM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)

WARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAM AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN THESYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!

WARNING

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Multiple Gothams to

Home Theater Receiver or

Home Theater Preamp/Processor

o greatly simpliy using multiplesubwooers in a single home theatersystem, Gothams incorporate aMaster/Slave signal distribution system.

Tis allows control o all the Gothams in asystem rom a single Master unit.First, you will select one o the

Gotham subwooers as the Master via itsle Input Mode switch. Generally, youwill designate the Gotham closest to thereceiver/preamp as the master. In somecases; or example, when the control panelo certain units is di cult to access, youmay preer to designate the one which iseasiest to access as the master.

wo connection types are available orconnecting the master Gotham to yourhome theater system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your receiver orprocessor has balanced outputs, we highlyrecommend that you use them to connectto the Gotham designated as the master.

In the connection diagram at le,balanced connections are shown as solidlines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods or the Gothamdesignated as the master (not both).

Te remaining Gothams in the systemwill be congured as Slave units viatheir le Input Mode switches. Usingbalanced XLR cables, you will connectthe master Gothams Output to Slaveto the Le or Mono balanced inputo the rst slave Gotham. Tat slaveunits Output to Slave connector willeed the Le or Mono input o thenext slave unit via another balancedXLR cable. Subsequent slave units willbe connected in the same manner.

Connections between the Masterand Slave Gothams andbetween Slave Gothams are viabalanced XLR cables ONLY.

SUBREAR

REAR CENTER

FRONT

FRONT

R

L

PRE OUT

OUTPUTS

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PROCESSOR RECEIVER / PROCESSOR

OR

TO ADDITIONAL GOTHAMS

(IF APPLICABLE)

FATHOM REAR CONTROLS (MASTER)

FATHOM REAR CONTROLS (SLAVE)

IMPORTANT

WARNINGWARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAMS AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN

THE SYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!

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STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (BALANCED OUTPUTS)

LOW OUT(SUB OUT)

OR

STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS)

RIGHTLEFT

LOW OUT(SUB OUT)



One Gotham in Mono to

Two-Channel Audio System

When connecting a Gotham (ormultiple Gothams) in mono to a two-channel audio system you will use boththe Le or Mono and the Right inputs.Summing circuitry in the Gothams input

section will sum the stereo signals tomono.We strongly recommend that you

use a high-quality active crossoverto divide your preampliers signalsprior to connection to the Gothamand to the amplier driving your mainspeakers. Tis will allow you to lter lowrequencies out o the signals drivingthe main speakers, resulting in betterperormance.

I you are not using an active crossoverand are comortable running your mainspeakers ull-range, you can split yourpreampliers output signals usingappropriate Y-connectors in place o theactive crossover shown in the diagram.

wo connection types are avai lableor connecting the Gotham to your two-channel audio system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your preamplieror active crossover oers balancedoutputs, we highly recommend that youuse them.

In the connection diagram at le,balanced connections are shown as solidlines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods (not both).

NOE: I desired, additional Gothamscan be connected in Slave mode to theGotham connected as shown on thisdiagram. See Connection Diagram 2 onpage 23 or slave connection explanation.

WARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAM AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN THESYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!

WARNING

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Two Gothams in Stereo to

Two-Channel Audio System

When connecting two Gothams instereo to a two-channel audio system youwill only use the Le or Mono inputs oeach Gotham. Te upper Input Modeswitch on each Gotham will be set in the

Master position.We strongly recommend that youuse a high-quality active crossoverto divide your preampliers signalsprior to connection to the Gothamand to the amplier driving your mainspeakers. Tis wil l allow you to lter lowrequencies out o the signals drivingthe main speakers, resulting in betterperormance.

I you are not using an active crossoverand are comortable running your mainspeakers ull-range, you can split yourpreampliers output signals usingappropriate Y-connectors in place o theactive crossover shown in the diagram.

wo connection types are available orconnecting the Gothams to your two-channel audio system: balanced (XLR or1/4-inch RS connector) and unbalanced(RCA-type connector). Balancedconnections provide superior noiserejection and ensure proper groundingbetween components. I your preamplieror active crossover oers balancedoutputs, we highly recommend that youuse them.

In the connection diagram at right,balanced connections are shown as solidlines, unbalanced connections are showndotted. You will only use one o theseinput connection methods (not both).

NOE: I desired, additional Gothamscan be connected in Slave mode to eachGotham connected as shown on thisdiagram. See Connection Diagram 2 onpage 23 or slave connection explanation.

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LOW OUT(SUB OUT)

RIGHTLEFT

LOW OUT(SUB OUT)

OR

STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (BALANCED OUTPUTS) STEREO ACTIVE CROSSOVER (UNBALANCED OUTPUTS)



WARNINGWARNING! TURN OFF THE GOTHAMS AND ALL OTHER EQUIPMENT IN

THE SYSTEM BEFORE MAKING OR CHANGING ANY CONNECTIONS!

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RECOMMENDED SETUP PROCEDURES

1) Preparation or Setup Process: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27

2) Level Setting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

3) Polarity/Phase Adjustment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4) Experiment with Location: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

5) Apply A.R.O: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-30

6) Adjust E.L.F. rim: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

PREPARATION FOR SETUP PROCESS:Please conrm the ollowing system settings beore beginning the setup

process. Tis will ensure a neutral starting point and an eective setup o your

subwooer system.

On your Home Theater Receiver or Preamp/Processor:

Beore beginning setup o your Gotham subwooer system we recommend

that you set your receiver or preamp/processor as ollows (please turn o all

Gothams in the system prior to making these adjustments):

1. Speaker Size

In the speaker setup menu o your receiver or preamp/processor, set up all o

your high-requency speakers as small with a crossover point o 80 Hz. Tis

will send ALL bass to the Gotham(s).

2. Speaker Distance

In the speaker setup menu, properly set all speaker distances to the primary

listening seat, including the subwooers distance. Use a tape measure todetermine these distances (time coherence is important.) I multiple Gothams

are being used, average their distances to the primary listening seat and use

that number to set the subwooer distance.

3. Subwooer Level

Set the subwooer level in the receiver or preamp/processor 0 or its

middle position.

4. one Controls / Equalizers

Set all tone controls to 0 and deeat all equalizer eatures.

On your Active Crossover or Bass Management Processor:

I you are using an active crossover or bass-management processor, we

recommend that you set it as ollows beore beginning setup o your Gotham

subwooer system (please turn o all Gothams in the system prior to making

these adjustments):

1. Low-Pass Filter Frequency

Select a low-pass lter requency o 80 Hz (12dB/octave slope)

2. High-Pass Filter Frequency

Select a high-pass lter requency o 80 Hz (12dB/octave slope)

3. Low-Pass (Subwooer) Output Level

Set the subwooer output level to 0 or its middle position.

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On the Gothams Front Panel:

Please turn o the home theater receiver or preamp/processor to make

these adjustments.1. Power Switch

Flip each Gothams Power switch to the On position.

2. Lights Switch

Flip each Gothams Lights switch to the On position. I you dont see any

lights on the ront panel, you may have orgotten to plug the Gotham in or

there may be a problem with the electrical circuit.

3. Input Mode Indicator Lights

I you are using a single Gotham, conrm that its Input Mode indicator light

is on the Master position. I not, you will need to access the le Input Mode

switch on the rear panel o the Gotham.

I you are using multiple Gothams in a Master/Slave conguration, conrm

that the unit connected directly to your receiver or preamp/processor isindicating Master on its Input Mode lights and that all other units are

indicating Slave on their Input Mode lights. I not, you will need to access

the le Input Mode switches on the rear panels o the Gothams.

3. Level Mode Switch

Flip the master Gothams Level Mode switch to the REF position.

4. LP Filter Switch

I your home theater receiver/processor is handling bass management

(speakers set on small) or i you are using an outboard crossover/bass-

management processor, fip the master Gothams LP Filter switch to OFF.

I not, select the 12 dB position.

5. LP Freq. (Hz) Knob

Rotate the LP Freq. knob to the 80 Hz position.

6. e.l.. trim (dB) Knob

Rotate the e.l.. trim knob to 0

7. Polarity Switch

Flip the Polarity switch to 0.

8. phase (deg.) Knob

Rotate the phase knob to 0 degrees

9. A.R.O. Deeat Switch

Press the A.R.O. deeat switch so that the red light in the

switch remains lit.

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RECOMMENDED SETUP PROCEDURES (continued)Subwoofer System Setup:

Once you have set the controls on your home theater receiver or preamp/

processor and on your Gotham(s) to the settings recommended on pages 26 and

27, you are ready to begin setting up your Gotham or optimum perormance.

1) Level Setting

Using amiliar music or movie material with deep bass content, adjust thesubwooer level to blend with the other speakers using your receiver or preamp/

processors subwooer level control. Tis method is more immune to tampering

than using the Gothams Master Level knob (think toddlers or curious visitors).

In the unlikely event that the subwooer level control in your receiver or

preamp/processor cannot be turned up enough to level match the Gotham, return

that control to 0. Ten, fip the Gothams Level Mode switch to Variable

and with 0 as your reerence point (REF mode gain and Variable 0 gain are

identical) use the Master Level control to level match the subwooer with the

other speakers. MAKE NOTE OF THIS SETTING FOR FUTURE USE.

For more detailed inormation on your Gothams level setting controls, please

reer to the Level Mode and Master Level sections on page 29 o this manual.

2) Polarity and Phase Adjustment

It is oen helpul to have a second person operating these controls so that you

can easily hear the changes rom the primary listening seat.

Listening to amiliar source material (preerably music with good upper bass

and midbass response), fip the Polarity switch rom 0 to 180 and listen or

dierences. Te correct setting will sound most natural with the best upper bass

punch and articulation. I both sound similar, choose 0.

Once Polarity is set, use the same music material to audition dierent Phase

control settings and choose the one that urther enhances the upper and midbass

response. I you cant hear a dierence, set the control to 0.

3) Experiment with alternative subwooer locations (i necessary).

I you are satised with the basic perormance o your subwooer you are ready

to move on to the next step. I not, we recommend that you experiment with

the position o your subwooer until you are pleased with its basic perormance.

Experimentating with placement is KEY to a superior sounding system. Moving the

subwooer just a ew eet can have a signicant eect on the smoothness o the bass.

For each new position, start with the polarity and phase controls at 0 and repeat the

setup process beginnng with Step 1.

IMPORTANT! WRITE DOWN ALL SETTINGS PERFORMED IN STEPS 1-3 FORFUTURE REFERENCE.

IMPORTANT

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4) Applying Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.)

You are now ready to apply the power o JL Audios exclusive Automatic Room

Optimization system. Tis system will measure the response o the subwooer at

your primary listening seat and apply a powerul equalizer to tame the primary

room mode, resulting in smoother, more accurate bass perormance. I you are

using multiple Gothams in a master/slave conguration, you will only need to

address the unit designated as master to perorm A.R.O. calibration or the entire

subwooer system.

a) Set the Main Power switch to the ON position and be sure the Gothams

indicator lights are switched ON via the Lights switch.

b) Flip the Gothams Level Mode switch to Variable and turn the Master Level

control to the 12 oclock position. I you were already in Variable mode, make

a note o the volume position you established during Level Setting (Step 1) beore

turning it to the 12 oclock position or A.R.O. calibration. In most cases, you

will need to tweak the overall level o the subwooer aer the A.R.O. calibration is

run, but you need to know your prior setting to begin that process.

c) Set the LP Filter to OFF

d) Veriy that the e.l.. trim control is set to 0

e) Remove the calibration microphone rom its protective pouch

and connect its cable to the mini-XLR jack on the Gothams ront control panel.

NOE: A.R.O. Calibration is only possible when the included JL Audio test

microphone is plugged in to the Gotham ront panel. Te Calibrate eature is

disabled with no microphone plugged in to prevent accidental loss o settings.

) Connect the microphone to the other end o the mic cable and temporarily place

the mic in the primary listening seat. I you have a microphone stand, you can

place the microphone at head height and position in the primary listening seat.

g) On the Gothams control panel, press the Calibrate button. Te green light

on the Calibrate button will turn on, indicating that calibration will begin

in 5 seconds.

NOE: I you have already run A.R.O. once, the Calibrate light will already be on.

Each time A.R.O. calibration is run, the previous settings are erased and the new

settings are stored.

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE THE ROOM IS QUIET DURING A.R.O.

CALIBRATION! TURN OFF ANY NOISY APPLIANCES NEAR THE LISTENINGROOM DISHWASHERS, WASHING MACHINES, ETC.

IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO TURN OFF AIR CONDITIONERS OR HEATPUMPS DURING CALIBRATION. THESE FORCED-AIR-TYPE HVAC SYSTEMS

CAN CREATE MODERATE LEVELS OF 15 20 HZ NOISE THAT MAY INTERFEREWITH CALIBRATION.

DO NOT TALK, COUGH OR SNEEZE DURING CALIBRATION AS THIS MAYCORRUPT THE CALIBRATION MEASUREMENTS.

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h) Within 5 seconds o pressing the Calibrate button, return to your primary

listening seat and hold the microphone in your normal, seated head position at

the approximate height o your ears.

i) A series o quick, stepped tones will begin which are used by the A.R.O. soware

to set an appropriate bass level at your seat or the test. I these tones stop aer

two to ve cycles, the Calibrate buttons light will start to blink, indicating a

level setting error. Slow blinking (approximately once per second) indicates thelevel selected on the Master Level control was too low. Increase the Master Level

control approximately one eighth o a turn and go back to Step g.

I the Calibrate light is blinking quickly (approximately 3 times per second), this

indicates that the Master Level was set too loud. Decrease the Master Level

control by approximately one eighth o a turn and return to Step g.

j) When the Master Level is properly set, a slow series o tones will be played rom

20 Hz to 100 Hz aer the stepped, level-setting tones. During this process, the

A.R.O. system is taking a requency response measurement at your listening seat.

When A.R.O. is nished calibrating, the Calibrate button will light and stay on,

indicating a successul calibration.

k) Return your Gothams ront panel controls to their previously determined

settings (beore the A.R.O. calibration run) and re-tweak the subwooer output

level as described in Step 1 (Level Setting) on page 28. Since the A.R.O. will

smooth the largest peak in the bass response at the listening seat, the apparent

subwooer level may appear lower. Simply increase the subwooer level until you

are satised.

5) Extreme Low Frequency (e.l..) rim

Use the e.l.. trim control to adjust the extreme low bass extension o the

Gotham. Tis control allows -12 dB o cut or +3 dB o boost at 25 Hertz and is

particularly useul when using a Gotham (or two) in a small to medium sized home

theater. Since smaller enclosed spaces help to boost the level o the lowest bass

requencies, smaller theaters can be overwhelmed by the strong low-bass output o

the Gotham subwooer. Tis can create a thick or bloated character in the lower

bass region. urning down the e.l.. trim knob cuts the extreme low bass level and

alleviates this condition. Feel ree to experiment and listen to a variety o demanding

material until you nd the best match or your room and your tastes.

Your Gotham is now optimized or maximum bass perormance at your

listening seat. Congratulations!

IMPORTANT! IF YOU MOVE YOUR GOTHAM OR PRIMARY LISTENING SEATIN THE FUTURE, YOU WILL NEED TO RUN A.R.O. AGAIN. ANY PARTICULAR

CALIBRATION IS UNIQUE TO THAT PARTICULAR SUBWOOFER POSITIONAND LISTENING SEAT POSITION COMBINATION. SIMPLY FOLLOW THE

STEPS ABOVE TO CREATE A NEW CALIBRATION CURVE.

IMPORTANT

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I place objects on my subwooer?

We do not recommend placing any items on the subwooer cabinet as they may

vibrate, causing undesirable noise and possible damage to the nish. Under no

circumstances should any object containing liquid be placed on the Gotham cabinet.

Is the Gotham magnetically shielded?Gotham subwooers are not magnetically shielded. o avoid magnetic distortion

with certain television types, place the Gotham at least 3-4 eet (1 - 1.5m) rom

your screen. I you notice any discoloration in the picture, try moving the

subwooer urther away until these artiacts disappear.

Will my electric bill be high i I leave the Gotham in Auto mode?

When in Auto mode, the Gotham amplier is only powered up when

a signicant signal is detected on the inputs. When powered down, only

housekeeping circuits remain on, which draw negligible amounts o power

rom the wall (less than 5 watts).

Should I unplug my subwooer during a thunderstorm or extended absence?YES. You should unplug your Gotham during (or beore) thunderstorms. Tis

will prevent any possible damage rom voltage spikes due to lightning. In these

conditions, its a good idea to unplug all o your audio / video components. I you

are going to be away rom home or several days, it is also a good idea to unplug

your home theater components to prevent damage rom unexpected storms or

power line conditions.

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TROUBLESHOOTING

No sound rom subwooer.

1. Veriy that Gotham is plugged in, turned ON & that ront panel lights are ON.

I the Gotham will not power up, check the circuit breaker that eeds its outlet.

2. est subwooer using DEMO button on ront panel i sub emits demo tones the

subwooers internal circuitry is ne and an input problem is likely. Check the

input cable connections at the Gotham and at the receiver/preamp/processor.3. Veriy that your receivers subwooer settings have not changed

4. I your other speakers play, but the Gotham does not, try changing the cable

that connects the Gotham to the system.

5. I the problem persists, call your dealer or JL Audio echnical Support

or assistance.

Te bass level has changed.

1. Make sure your level settings (on the Gotham and in your receiver/preamp/

processor) have not changed.

2. I you are using the Gothams Master Level knob to set the subwooer level,

conrm that the Level Mode switch is set to Variable.

3. Veriy the position o the E.L.F. rim knob.

Hums or other unusual noises rom your Gotham

1. See Input Mode discussion on page 20o this manual, especially i anyupstream components, cables, etc., have recently changed.

2. urn o the Gotham, disconnect all its input and output signal cables, turn the

Gotham back on. I the noise disappears, the noise is being caused elsewhere in

your system.

Bass sounds muddy or too heavy.

1. ry decreasing the 25 Hertz level using the e.l.. trim control. Muddy bass

can sometimes be caused by too much low requency output in a moderately

sized room.2. Decrease the overal l subwooer level.

3. Veriy your receivers subwooer settings.

4. ry a dierent subwooer or main listening seat location. Changing one or the

other can have a HUGE eect on how your system sounds. See the placement

discussion on pages 6-10 o this manual.

Your Gotham is clearly audible outside o your house.

1. Revisit the Master Level setting on your Gotham(s) or your home theater

receiver/preamp/processor.

2. Inquire with your JL Audio dealer about noise isolation strategies.

3. Move the Gotham away rom windows.

Angry neighbors knocking at your door.

Invite them in and oer them a beverage.

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LIMITED WARRANTY / SERVICE INFORMATION

JL AUDIO warrants this product to be ree o deects in materials and

workmanship or a period o three (3) years rom the original date o purchase.

Damage caused by the ollowing is not covered under warranty: accident,

misuse, abuse, product modication or neglect, ailure to ollow installation

instructions, unauthorized repair attempts, misrepresentations by the seller.

Tis warranty does not cover incidental or consequential damages and does notcover the cost o removing or reinsta lling the unit(s) or shipping the unit(s) to

JL AUDIO or service. Cosmetic damage due to accident or normal wear and tear

is not covered under warranty.

Tis warranty is not transerable and applies only to the original purchaser

o the product rom an authorized JL AUDIO dealer. Warranty is voided i the

actory-applied product serial number is removed or deaced.

Should service be necessary under this warranty or any reason due to

manuacturing deect or malunction, JL AUDIO will, at its discretion, repair or

replace the deective product with new or remanuactured product at no charge.

Any applicable implied warranties are limited in duration to the period o

the express warranty as provided herein beginning with the date o the original

purchase at retail, and no warranties, whether express or implied, shall applyto this product thereaer. Some states do not allow limitations on implied

warranties, thereore these exclusions may not apply to you. Tis warranty gives

you specic legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary rom

state to state.

I you need service on your JL AUDIO Gotham:

Please contact us to arrange service.

For Service Inormation in the U.S.A. please call:

JL Audio customer service:

(888) JL AUDIO (888-552-8346) during normal business hours (Eastern ime)

JL Audio, Inc 10369 North Commerce Parkway, Miramar, FL 33025

International Warranties:

Products purchased outside the United States o America are covered only by that

countrys distributor and not by JL Audio, Inc.

Do not attempt to service or

disassemble the Gotham! Tere

are no user serviceable parts inside

and disassembly requires specic

techniques and training to prevent

damage. Please contact yourauthorized dealer i your Gotham

requires service or call JL Audio at

the number listed on this page.

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H

W D

F R O N T

B O T T O MT O P

S I D E W I T H G R I L L E B A C K

Specificationsg213gotham home subwoofer

Enclosure Type: Sealed, with non-parallel walls

Driver: Twin 13.5-inch (nominal diameter)

Frequency Response: 19-200 Hz (3dB)

Effective Piston Area: 214.70 (0.1386 sq. m)

Effective Displacement: 773 cu. in. (12.7 liters)

Amplifier Power: 3800 watts RMS short-term

Dimensions: H Height x W Width x D DepthHeight Dimensions include feet.

34.13 in x 21.50 in. x 24.00 in.867 mm x 546 mm x 610 mm

Net Weight: 360 lbs. (163 kg)

Cabinet Finish: High-Gloss Black

FEATURES

Unbalanced Inputs:Stereo or Mono (two RCA jacks)

Balanced Inputs:Stereo or Mono (two emale XLRjacks)

Output o Slave:Balanced (one male XLR jack)

Input Modes:Master or Slave

Level Modes:

Reerence (xed gain) or Variable romull mute to +15dB over reerence gain

Power Modes:O, On or Automatic Signal-Sensing

Light Modes:O, On or Dim

Low Pass Filter Mode:O, 12 dB per octave or 24 dB per octave

Low Pass Filter Cuto Frequency:

Variable rom 30 Hz 130 Hz

Polarity:0 or 180 degrees

Phase:Variable rom 0 280 degrees

E.L.F. rim:Variable rom 12 dB to +3 dB at 20 Hz

Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.)with included laboratory-gradecalibration microphone, deeatable.

JL Audio, and the JL Audio logo are registered trademarks of JL Audio, Inc.,Ahead of the Curve is a trademark ofJL Audio, Inc. Due to continuous product development, all specifications are subject to change without notice.

(954) 443-1100 www.j laudio.com

gotham g213

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