Quick Start Guide
10 VQ Series Quick Start Guide 11
Polarity Checking
It is most important to check the polarity of the wiring before the speaker system is own. A simple method of doing this without a pulse based polarity checker for
LF units is as follows: Connect two wires to the +ve and -ve terminals of a PP3 battery. Apply the wire which is connected to the +ve terminal of the battery to the
speaker cable leg which you believe to be connected to pin 1+ of the speaker connector and likewise the -ve leg of the battery to pin 1-.
If you have wired it correctly the LF drive unit will move forward, indicating the wiring is correct. All that remains now is to connect the +ve speaker lead to the +ve
terminal on the amplier and the -ve lead to the -ve terminal on the amplier. If however the LF driver moves backwards, the input connections need to be inverted.
There are also commercially available polarity checkers that can be used (IviePAL™, NTI™). If you are commissioning a system using a spectrum analyzer such as
SMAART™, SYSTUNE™, CLIO™, MLSSA™ by checking the impulse response for the rst positive swing. Be sure that EQ and crossover ltering has been removed before
checking.
If problems are encountered, inspect the cable wiring in the rst instance. If you are using ampliers from more than one manufacturer, check the polarity at the
ampliers as well as the loudspeakers.
Amplication & Power Handling
As with all professional loudspeaker systems, the power handling is a function of voice coil thermal capacity. Care should be taken to avoid running the amplier into
clip (clipping is the end result of overdriving any amplier). Damage to the loudspeaker will be sustained if the amplier is driven into clip for any extended period
of time. Headroom of at least 3dB should be allowed. When evaluating an amplier, it is important to take into account its behavior under low impedance load
conditions. A loudspeaker system is highly reactive and with transient signals it can require more current than the nominal impedance would indicate.
Generally a higher power amplier running free of distortion will do less damage to the loudspeaker than a lower power amplier continually clipping. It is also worth
remembering that a high powered amplier running at less than 90% of output power generally sounds a lot better than a lower power amplier running at 100%.
An amplier with insucient drive capability will not allow the full performance or the loudspeaker to be realized.
It is important when using dierent manufacturers ampliers in a single installation that the have very closely matched gains, the variation should be less
than +/- 0.5 dB. This precaution is important to the overall system balance when only a single active crossover is being used with multiple cabinets; it is therefore
recommended that the same ampliers be used throughout.
On the specications pages you will nd the VQ loudspeakers power handling capacity quoted in three categories:-
Average (RMS), Programme, & Peak
We recommend using the programme power listed in the loudspeaker specications to choose the correct amplier. To realize the VQ loudspeakers full potential, the
ampliers rated continuous power should be equal to the loudspeakers programme power at its nominal impedance.
Loudspeaker Management Systems
Tannoy VQ series loudspeakers are designed to be used with an electronic signal processor which provides crossover, equalization, delay and dynamic functions. We
strongly recommend Lab Gruppen PLM+ or D Series with factory presets from LAKE load library. LAKE LM26/44 DSP using the same factory presets from LAKE load
library coupled with Lab Gruppen C series or FP+ series using models with appropriate output power for the VQ cabinets selected is also recommended. Lab Gruppen
CAFE software provides a comprehensive solution for selecting the best possible combination of PLM+ or D series products to all Tannoy loudspeaker products,
allowing users to have precise technical data of power delivery, power draw, thermal output, cable infrastructure requirements and BOM calculator. For more
information about LAKE and Lab Gruppen products, please go to www.lakeprocessing.com or www.labgruppen.com.
Rigging & Suspension
The VQ hardware covered in this guide has been designed to oer quick, simple, and secure solutions for mounting specic VQ loudspeakers. This hardware has been
designed and manufactured with a high safety load factor for its specic role. To ensure the safest possible use of the hardware covered in this guide, it must be
assembled in strict accordance with the instructions specied. The information in these manuals relating to the assembly and the safe use of these accessories must be
understood and followed.
The installation of VQ loudspeakers using the dedicated hardware should only ever be carried out by fully qualied installers, in accordance with all the required safety
codes and standards that are applied at the place of installation.
WARNING: As the legal requirements for ying change from country to country, please consult your local safety standards oce before installing any product. We also
recommend that you thoroughly check any laws and bylaws prior to commencing work.
VQ hardware has been designed for use with VQ series loudspeakers only, and is not designed or intended for use with any other Tannoy Commercial products, or any
other devices from other manufacturers. Using Tannoy Professional hardware for any purpose other than that indicated in this guide is considered to be improper use.
Such use can be very dangerous as overloading, modifying; assembling in anyway other than that clearly stated in the manual, or damaging the VQ hardware will
compromise safety. The component parts of any VQ hardware device must only be assembled using the accessory kits supplied and in strict compliance with the user
manual. The use of other accessories or non-approved methods of assembly may result in an unsafe hardware system by reducing the load safety factor. Welding, or
any other method of permanently xing hardware components together or to the integral xing points in the cabinet should never be used.
Whenever a VQ loudspeaker is xed to a surface using a VQ hardware device, the installer must ensure that the surface is capable of safely and securely supporting the
load. The hardware employed must be safely, securely, and in accordance with the manual, attached both to the loudspeaker and also to the surface in question, using
only the xing holes provided as standard and covered in the manual. Secure xings to the building structure are vital. Seek help from architects, structural engineers
or other specialists if in any doubt.
All loudspeakers own must, be provided with an independent, correctly rated and securely attached secondary safety – in addition to the principle hardware device.
This secondary safety must prevent the loudspeaker from dropping more than 150 mm (6") should the principle hardware device fail.
WARNING: Do not under any circumstances use a loudspeaker's handles to support the weight of the loudspeaker except for their intended use: hand carrying. The
handles are not rated to support the load of the loudspeaker for temporary or permanent installation.
The VQ range of loudspeakers is intended to be suspended or ground-stacked. This section details how to physically congure VQ yware and arrays. The following are
the recommended methods for most situations. Specic situations may require other methods. It is the user's responsibility to determine the viability and safety for
alternate methods and implement them accordingly.
Cable Run
Diameter of
conductor
Cable
Resistance
Wire Loss (dB) Damping Factor*
m ft mm awg ohm
4ohm
Load
8ohm
Load
4ohm
Load
8ohm
Load
5 16 1.5 mm
2.5 mm
4 mm
6 mm
15
10
6
3
0.10
0.04
0.01
0.01
0.2
0.1
0
0
0.1
0
0
0
40
108
255
494
✓
✓
✓
✓
80
216
510
988
✓
✓
✓
✓
10 33 1.5 mm
2.5 mm
4 mm
6 mm
15
10
6
3
0.20
0.07
0.03
0.01
0.4
0.2
0.1
0
0.2
0.1
0
0
19
55
136
282
✗
✓
✓
✓
41
111
272
563
✓
✓
✓
✓
25 82 1.5 mm
2.5 mm
4 mm
6 mm
15
10
6
3
0.49
0.18
0.07
0.03
1
0.4
0.1
0.1
0.5
0.2
0.1
0
8
23
57
123
✗
✓
✓
✓
16
45
114
246
✓
✓
✓
✓
50 164 1.5 mm
2.5 mm
4 mm
6 mm
15
10
6
3
0.98
0.35
0.14
0.06
1.9
0.7
0.3
0.1
1
0.4
0.1
0.1
4
11
29
64
✗
✗
✓
✓
8
23
58
127
✗
✓
✓
✓
100 328 1.5 mm
2.5 mm
4 mm
6 mm
15
10
6
3
1.95
0.70
0.27
0.12
3.5
1.4
0.6
0.3
1.9
0.7
0.3
0.1
2
6
15
32
✗
✗
✗
✓
4
11
29
65
✗
✗
✓
✓
*The resulting damping factor gures are derived using a good quality professional amplier
VQ Series Recommended Amplier Power
VQ60/100 Power Requirement
Low Frequency
Passive MF/HF
Mid Frequency
High Frequency
2000 W into 4 ohms
400 W into 8 ohms
400 W into 8 ohms
200 W into 8 ohms
VQ DF
Passive MF/HF
Mid Frequency
High Frequency
400 W into 8 ohms
400 W into 8 ohms
200 W into 8 ohms
VQ MB 2000 W into 4 ohms