VANDERSTEEN 3A - SETTING-UP THE MODEL 3 AS; LISTENING HEIGHT

Setting-Up The Model 3As
Listening Height
All properly aligned loudspeakers have a vertical
listening window where their sound is optimized. The
Model 3A’s six inch high optimum listening window is
centered at 35 inches when the speakers are vertical.
If your ear height is above 35 inches at your normal
listening position, the speakers should be leaned back
to raise the optimum listening window up to your ear
height. The chart to the right shows how much the
speakers should be leaned back for different ear
heights and listening distances.
1. Measure the distance from the listening position to
the speakers and the height of your ears when you
are seated at your listening position. (Ear height is
roughly equal to the height of the tip of your nose)
2. Find the values closest to your actual measurements
on the chart to the right.
3. Follow the horizontal line across from your listening
distance and the vertical line up from your ear height
to the point where they intersect. The heavy lines
numbered from 0 to 2Vz indicate how many inches
the top of the speaker should be behind the bottom
of the speaker to center the listening window at your
listening height and distance.
4. Adjust the length of the spike or cone on the rear
brace of each speaker to lean the speakers back the
proper amount.
5. As an example of how to measure for the proper
amount of lean:
a. Tie a nut to a piece of thread about five feet long.
b Hang the thread and nut from the back of the
speaker and measure the distance the nut is away
from the bottom of the speaker as shown in the
diagram. This measurement is the amount of
speaker lean. (For clarity, the amount of lean in
the diagram has been exaggerated and the rear
brace is not shown.)
c. Secure the rear spike or cone.
Distance From
Speakers In Feet
r ~ "\
The Model 3As break-in and significantly improve during the first 100 hours of use. Until
this period has elapsed, the speakers exhibit some sonic aberrations as the parameters of
the Model 3A were established with completely broken-in drivers.
One way to speed-up the break-in process is to let the system play at a moderate volume
level 24 hours a day for a week or so. Playing the speakers louder than a moderate level will
not shorten the break-in period.
V_ J
Vandersteen Audio, Inc.
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