TH-18s 18” Powered Subwoofer OWNER’S MANUAL
Important Safety Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with a dry cloth. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. 8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. 9.
CONTENTS What? Me read a manual? SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS............................................ 2 GETTING STARTED.................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION....................................................... 5 HOOKUP DIAGRAMS............................................... 6 MACKIE TH-18s FEATURES ...................................... 8 1. IEC AC RECEPTACLE AND FUSE...................... 8 2. POWER . .................................................... 8 3. INPUTS.............
Getting Started The following steps will help you set up your subwoofer(s) quickly. INITIAL SETTINGS: 1. Turn the LEVEL control on the rear panel all the way down. 2. Turn the POWER switch OFF. CONNECTIONS: 1. Connect the line-level signal from a mixer (or other signal source) to the INPUT jack on the TH-18s rear panel (XLR connector). If you are operating the system in stereo, connect INPUT B, as well. 2. Connect the supplied AC power cord to the IEC socket on the back of the subwoofer.
Introduction Thank you for choosing the Mackie Thump TH-18s subwoofer. Mackie’s Thump Series powered loudspeakers achieve the perfect balance of power, portability, and most importantly, value. Designed by the same team that produced the best-selling Mackie SRM450v2, Thump Series loudspeakers deliver real power in a design that is extremely lightweight and portable.
Hookup Diagrams Main PA System with one subwoofer and two powered loudspeakers Left and Right Main Powered Loudspeakers (Mackie TH-15A shown) 1 2 3 4 5/6 7/8 9/10 11/12 TH-18s High Pass Output From Mixer Left and Right Outputs MON MAIN Mixing Console (Mackie ProFX12 shown) The left and right line-level outputs from a mixer feed the inputs of the subwoofer.
Daisy-chaining two subwoofers TH-18s Subwoofer 2 TH-18s Subwoofer 1 Mixing Console (Mackie ProFX12 shown) Full-Range Output TH-18s TH-18s 1 2 3 From Mixer Output 4 5/6 7/8 9/10 11/12 MON MAIN The left and right line-level outputs from a mixer feed the left and right inputs of the first subwoofer. The inputs are summed in mono to play in the subwoofer, but this does not affect the full-range or high-pass outputs, which remain fully stereo.
Mackie TH-18s Features 8 9 10 11 THERMAL 7 6 OL SIGNAL POWER LEVEL - 6dB OUTPUTS A HIGH PASS B A FULL RANGE B 5 +6dB POL ARITY R 4 NORMAL INVERT A INPUTS B TH-18s ACTIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT SUBWOOFER 3 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE — NE PAS OUVRIR PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
8 THERMAL 9 10 11 OL SIGNAL POWER LEVEL OUTPUTS A HIGH PASS B 7 5 - 6dB 6 R +6dB POL ARITY A FULL RANGE B NORMAL INVERT 4 A INPUTS TH-18 ACTIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT SUBWO B 3 3. INPUTS 5. HIGH PASS OUTPUTS Balanced XLR female connectors are provided for the left and right inputs. Connect the full-range line-level signal from the mixer or other signal source to these input jacks. Balanced XLR male connectors are provided for the line-level A and B high-pass outputs.
8 THERMAL 9 10 11 OL SIGNAL POWER LEVEL OUTPUTS A HIGH PASS B 7 5 - 6dB 6 R +6dB POL ARITY A FULL RANGE B NORMAL INVERT TH-18 4 A INPUTS ACTIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT SUBW B 3 7. LEVEL 9. OL LED The LEVEL control adjusts the overall signal level at the input to the built-in power amplifier. It ranges from -6 dB to +6 dB (maximum gain), with unity gain at the center position (12 o’clock). The OL (overload) indicator lights when the amplifier in the TH-18s is near the clipping point.
The Ins and Outs of Polarity Mackie’s Thump TH-18s subwoofer includes a switch that allows you to quickly invert the polarity of the subwoofer’s output relative to the input signal it is receiving from the mixer or other sound source. But what exactly does that mean? A subwoofer works by literally pumping air as the woofer cone moves in and out with respect to the cabinet in which it is housed. It does so according to the low-frequency portion of the signal it receives from the sound source.
Protection Circuits Placement There are several protection mechanisms designed into the TH-18s to safeguard the subwoofers and amplifiers from inadvertent damage. The TH-18s subwoofer is designed to sit on the floor or stage. It is not designed to be pole-mounted or suspended. CAUTION: The protection circuits are designed to protect the subwoofers under reasonable and sensible conditions. Should you choose to ignore the warning signs (i.e.
Appendix A: Service Information If you think your Mackie product has a problem, please check out the following troubleshooting tips and do your best to confirm the problem. Visit the Support section of our website (www.mackie.com/support) to get some ideas or contact our technical support heroes. You may find the answer to the problem without having to send your Mackie product away. If two fuses blow in a row, then something is very wrong. Try a different outlet in a totally different location.
Noise/Hum • Check the signal cable between the mixer and the subwoofer. Make sure all connections are secure. These problems usually produce crackling noises or hum. • If you are using two or more TH-18s powered subwoofers, try plugging them all into the same AC outlet panel or outlet strip. The purpose for this is to connect them all to the same earth ground point and reduce the possibility of creating a ground loop.
Appendix B: Connections XLR Connectors The TH-18s has two female XLR input jacks that accept balanced line-level signals. When connecting a balanced signal, be sure it’s wired per AES (Audio Engineering Society) standards: Balanced XLR Connectors There is a limit to how many you can daisy-chain together. A general rule is to maintain a load impedance ten times or more than the source impedance to prevent excessive loading on the source.
Appendix C: TH-18s Specifications Acoustic Performance Construction Features Frequency Range (–10 dB): 35 Hz – 150 Hz Basic Design: Trapezoidal Frequency Response (–3 dB): 50 Hz – 115 Hz Material: Void-free plywood 1 Max peak SPL (calculated) : 129 dB Max peak SPL (measured) : 124 dB Finish: Textured black catalyzed polyurethane paint Handles: One on each side Grille: Perforated metal 2 Transducer Diameter: 18 in / 457 mm Voice coil diameter: 3 in / 7
Mackie Limited Warranty Please keep your sales receipt in a safe place. This Limited Product Warranty (“Product Warranty”) is provided by LOUD Technologies Inc. (“LOUD”) and is applicable to products purchased in the United States or Canada through a LOUD-authorized reseller or dealer. The Product Warranty will not extend to anyone other than the original purchaser of the product (hereinafter, “Customer,” “you” or “your”). For products purchased outside the U.S. or Canada, please visit www.mackie.
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