Bose Acoustimass 15 series II home entertainment speaker system Sold from 2002 to 2005 User Manual

							11
Setting Up
Figure 6
Acoustimass® module to 
receiver connections
Audio OutputLeft
Rear
Center
RearRight
Rear
Left
FrontCenter
FrontRight
Front
Audio Input
SURROUND SPEAKERSR CENTERFRONT SPEAKERS ALLFE/SUBWOOFER
OUTR CENTERL
R CENTERL
FRONT SPEAKERS A
R CENTERL
Note: The center surround connection 
is used only when a center rear 
speaker is installed.
Note: Cables may be 
separated or “unzipped” 
as much as needed to 
comfortably reach the 
surround receiver 
connections.
Thumbscrews 
						

							12
Setting Up
Checking the connections
Check all connections from the receiver to the Acoustimass® module and from the module to 
the cube speaker arrays (Figure 5 and Figure 6). Make sure all cube speaker arrays are con-
nected to the proper terminals according to their position in your room. Check that all wires 
are connected to your surround receiver in phase (+ to + and – to –). Incorrect wiring can 
result in a total loss of module output. Correct wiring problems before you plug your receiver 
in and turn it on. 
Connecting the Acoustimass module to power
Note: Bose® recommends using a quality surge suppressor on all electronics equipment. 
Voltage variations and spikes can damage electronic components in any system. A quality 
suppressor can eliminate the vast majority of failures attributed to surges and may be pur-
chased at an electronics store.
After you have checked all system connections, plug the power cord of the powered Acousti-
mass module into an AC (mains) receptacle. Your Acoustimass speaker system will turn on 
and off automatically as it receives a signal from your surround receiver. 
Upgrading your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system
Your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system can be upgraded to provide you with 6.1 or 
6 channel surround sound.
The 6.1 upgrade kit contains one black (PC 029661) or white (PC 029662) cube speaker array, 
a 50-foot connecting cable, and complete connection instructions.
To purchase the 6.1 upgrade kit, contact your local authorized Bose retailer or call Bose 
directly. See the list of Bose offices and phone numbers enclosed with your system. When 
ordering, you will need to know the serial number of your Acoustimass module. 
						

							13
Using your system
For realistic home theater sound
CAUTION: The Acoustimass® 15 Series II and Acoustimass 16 speaker systems incorporate 
an automatic protection circuit, which guards against most kinds of damage from electrical 
stress or overload. This circuit activates at high volume levels to reduce output, causing a 
slight decrease in volume. This is normal operation and indicates that power input may be 
exceeding safe levels. Sustained listening at these levels is not recommended.
Adjusting the LFE level
The LFE (low-frequency effects) level control on your powered Acoustimass module 
increases or decreases the relative level of low-frequency effects on movie sound tracks. Use 
it to regulate the presence of these underlying deep bass sounds. Use the “test tones” feature 
in your digital surround sound receiver to match the volume levels for each of the cube 
speakers. Then use the LFE control on the Acoustimass module to match the volume of the 
LFE channel to the cube speaker channels.
Adjusting the bass/room compensation level
This feature will allow you to fine-tune your system after you have placed the Acoustimass 
module in your selected location. If the room sounds “thin” or lacks bass, turn the BASS con-
trol in a clockwise direction to increase the bass level of the module. If the room sounds 
“boomy” or has too much bass, turn the knob in a counter-clockwise rotation to reduce the 
bass level of the module. The factory or detent setting is appropriate for a majority of listening 
situations.
Setting your digital surround sound receiver 
Your Acoustimass 16 or Acoustimass 15 Series II speakers are fully compatible with the 
output from digital surround receivers. Integrated Signal Processing assures full bass 
reproduction for all channels regardless of receiver settings. However, the following table 
suggests a set of recommended receiver settings. The cube speaker arrays should be set to 
LARGE in the receiver’s digital display menu. The LFE, or subwoofer, is set to ON. If applica-
ble, the crossover value should be set to the lowest number possible, typically 80 Hz.
Speaker Receiver setting
Left and right LARGE
Center LARGE
Left and right surround LARGE
Center surround* LARGE
LFE/Subwoofer ON
* Applies to Acoustimass 16 systems or upgraded Acoustimass 15 Series II systems. For upgrade 
information, see “Upgrading your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system” on page 12.
AM264924_00 _V.pdf • August 13, 2002 
						

							14
Using your system
Be sure to get the digital audio signal
To be sure that the digital audio signal from your DVD player reaches your surround receiver, 
connect the digital audio output from your DVD player to the digital audio input on your 
receiver (Figure 7).
Before you play a DVD disc, be sure to select the digital output in the setup menu of your 
DVD player. For additional setup and operating information, please refer to the owner’s guide 
that came with your surround receiver.
Figure 7
Digital signal connections 
on a surround receiver
Setting your analog surround sound receiver 
For analog surround sound (non-digital) applications, we recommend that you set the 
surround-sound center mode of your receiver to WIDE. Instructions for this process vary, 
depending on the brand and model of your surround receiver. Follow your receiver owner’s 
guide for testing and adjusting the balance of each speaker. 
SURROUND SPEAKERSR CENTERFRONT SPEAKERSR
LL REAR
DIGITAL
INPLAY IN
(OPTICAL)PLAY IN
(COAXIAL)
DIGITAL
INPLAY IN
(OPTICAL)PLAY IN
(COAXIAL)
Note: Use the optical or coaxial digital 
input connections, but not both
.
OR 
						

							15
Reference
Troubleshooting 
If you have a problem with your Acoustimass® speaker system, turn off your sound source 
and try the following solutions. If you still have a problem, contact your Bose® dealer to 
arrange for service. To contact Bose directly, refer to the list of service offices and phone 
numbers enclosed in the shipping carton.
Customer service
For additional help in solving problems, contact Bose customer service. See the list of service 
offices and phone numbers enclosed in the shipping carton. Problem What to do
System does not function 
at all•Make sure the receiver and powered Acoustimass module are plugged into an operating 
AC wall outlet and that the receiver is turned on.
•Be sure to select a source at the receiver (video, CD, DVD, tuner).
No sound•Check the speaker connections. 
•Make sure that the powered Acoustimass module is plugged in.
•For digital sound, be sure a coaxial or optical cable connects the digital output of the 
DVD player with the digital input on your receiver.
•Be sure the audio source selected is correct. For example, select DVD audio on your 
receiver and player for DVD sound.
•Disconnect any headphones. 
•Increase the volume. 
No sound from cube 
speaker arrays•Be sure the powered Acoustimass module is plugged in and the receiver is turned on.
Sound is distorted•Make sure speaker wire is not damaged.
•Reduce the volume of external components connected to the receiver.
No bass•Be sure the speaker connections at the receiver/amplifier are correct (+ to + and – to –). 
Not enough or too much 
bass•Move the powered Acoustimass module closer to a wall or corner to increase bass. 
Move it farther away from a wall or corner to decrease bass.
•Adjust the LFE Level or Room Compensation control.
No surround sound•Be sure your receiver is processing a signal from a Hi-Fi VCR, stereo TV, laserdisc, or 
DVD player, or other surround-sound source.
•If you are using the Dolby Pro-Logic mode, check that surround-sound is turned on.
•If you are using digital programming, verify that the settings are correct at the receiver.
•Be sure the source material (DVD, laser disc, or broadcast programming) is Dolby Digital 
encoded. 
						

							16
Reference
Cleaning the speakers
The cabinets of your Acoustimass® speaker system may be cleaned only with a soft dry cloth. 
Do not use any sprays near the system or allow liquids to spill into any openings. Also, do not 
use any solvents, chemicals, or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives. 
The grille assemblies on the cube arrays may be carefully vacuumed, if necessary. Please 
note that the drivers are located directly behind the grille cloth, and are easily damaged if 
reasonable care is not taken.
Technical information
Features
Direct/Reflecting® speaker technology
Virtually Invisible
® speaker design
Acoustimass speaker technology combined with Integrated Signal Processing
Magnetically shielded cube speaker arrays
Automatic system protection circuitry
Syncom
® computer quality control
Finish
Cube arrays: Black or Arctic White finish
Powered Acoustimass module: Scratch-resistant Black or Arctic White textured finish
Speaker driver complement
Cube speaker arrays: two 2.50-inch (6.35 cm) TwiddlerTM speakers
Powered Acoustimass module: Three 5.25-inch (13 cm) woofers 
Speaker size/weight
Cube speaker arrays: 6.2H x 3.1W x 4.0D (15.7 cm x 7.8 cm x 10.2 cm) / 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) 
Acoustimass module: 16.3H x 8.1W x 29.1D (41.4 cm x 20.6 cm x 73.9 cm) / 45 lb (20.3 kg)
Acoustimass 15 Series II Acoustimass 16
Acoustimass 
module power 
ratingUSA/Canada: 
100-127V 50/60 Hz 400 W
Europe/Australia: 
220-240V 50/60 Hz 400 WUSA/Canada: 
100-127V 50/60 Hz 400 W
Europe/Australia: 
220-240V 50/60 Hz 400 W
ConnectivityCompatible with A/V receiv-
ers and amplifiers rated from 
10 to 200 watts per channel, 
rated from 4 to 8 ohmsCompatible with A/V receiv-
ers and amplifiers rated from 
10 to 200 watts per channel, 
rated from 4 to 8 ohms
Packed system 
weight72.5 lb (32.6 kg) 75 lb (33.8 kg) 
						

							17
Reference
Warranty period
Your Bose® Acoustimass® speaker system is covered by a limited 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.
Accessories
•Table stands: UTS-20B (black), UTS-20W (white)
•Floor stands: UFS-20B (black), UFS-20W (white)
•Wall brackets: UB-20B (black), UB-20W (white)
•Module input cable adapter for use with existing wiring: 
PN267138-001 (black)
PN267138-002 (white)
•Module-to-cube speaker array cable adapter for use with existing wiring: 
PN267139-001 (black)
PN267139-002 (white)
•Module 20 ft (6.1m) input extension cable: 
PN267140-001 (black)
PN267140-002 (white) 
						

							©2002 Bose Corporation, The Mountain,
Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
264924 AM Rev.00 JN20951