Bose Acoustimass 16 home entertainment speaker system Sold from August 2002 to July 2006 User Manual

							 
The Bose 
® 
 Acoustimass 
® 
 15 Series II and Acoustimass 16
Home Entertainment Speaker Systems 
						

							 
2 
Safety Information 
WARNING:   
To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the powered 
Acoustimass 
® 
 module to rain or moisture.  
CAUTION:   
To prevent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, insert fully.  
These CAUTION marks may be located on the Acoustimass module:
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended 
to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the system 
enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle, as marked on the system, is 
intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance 
instructions in this owner’s guide.  
Additional safety information 
See the additional safety information on the Important Safety Instructions page enclosed with 
your speaker system. 
Please read this owner’s guide 
Please take the time to follow this owner’s guide carefully. It will help you set up and operate 
your system properly, and enjoy all of its advanced features. Please save your owner’s guide 
for future reference.  
CAUTION:   
No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the 
apparatus.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER-SERVICABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
AVIS
RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
ATTENTION : AFIN DE RÉDUIRE LE RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE, 
NE PAS RETIRER LE CAPOT DE L’APPAREIL (ou son panneau arrière).
IL N’EXISTE À L’INTERIEUR DE CET ÉQUIPEMENT AUCUN ÉLÉMENT
OU SOUS-ENSEMBLE POUVANT ÊTRE DEPANNÉ PAR L’UTILISATEUR.
LA MAINTENANCE DOIT ÊTRE RÉALISÉE PAR UN PERSONNEL QUALIFIÉ.
 
©2002 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modified, distributed or otherwise used without 
prior written permission.
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby” and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby 
Laboratories. Confidential Unpublished Works. ©1992-1997 Dolby Laboratories. All rights reserved. 
For your records 
The system serial number is located on the bottom of the Acoustimass module.
Serial number:  ________________________________________________________
Dealer name:  _________________________________________________________
Dealer phone:  ____________________ Purchase date ____________________
Please keep your sales receipt and warranty card together with this owner’s guide. 
						

							 
3 
Contents
Where to find… 
Setting Up  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Before you begin   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Unpacking the carton  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Placing your speakers to achieve realistic home theater sound   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Front center cube speaker array  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Front left and right cube speaker arrays   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Rear cube speaker arrays   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Powered Acoustimass 
® 
 module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting the speakers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connecting front cube speaker arrays to the Acoustimass module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Connecting rear cube speaker arrays to the Acoustimass module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting the Acoustimass module to the receiver   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Checking the connections  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting the Acoustimass module to power  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Upgrading your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Using your system   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
For realistic home theater sound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Adjusting the LFE level   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Adjusting the bass/room compensation level  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Setting your digital surround sound receiver  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Be sure to get the digital audio signal   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Setting your analog surround sound receiver   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Reference   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Troubleshooting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Customer service  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Cleaning the speakers   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Technical information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Warranty period   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Accessories   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 
						

							 
4 
Setting Up
Before you begin 
We appreciate your choice of the Bose 
® 
 Acoustimass 
® 
 15 series II or Acoustimass 16 home 
entertainment speaker system.
Bose Virtually Invisible 
® 
 speaker technology allows you to enjoy lifelike home performances 
from the very latest surround-sound encoded movies, CDs, and television shows, without a 
room full of speakers. The cube speaker arrays, along with the powered Acoustimass mod-
ule, reproduce the full-spectrum of sound from multi-channel digital programming. Integrated 
Signal Processing assures full bass performance from all channels at all listening levels, 
regardless of your receiver settings.
Your stereo VCR, stereo television, or DVD player sends the encoded program material to the 
surround-sound receiver, which interprets and distributes the information to the powered 
Acoustimass module. The module delivers the bass for all channels and sends appropriate 
sounds to each cube speaker array. The sound mix varies with different program types: dia-
logue is usually sent to the center cube speaker array, a visual soundstage is created by the 
left and right front cube speaker arrays, and you feel as if you are in the center of the action 
because sounds and special effects are directed to the rear cube speaker arrays. At any point 
in a surround-sound performance, you may hear sound from one, a few, or all of the cube 
speaker arrays. 
To select surround-encoded program material, look for the terms Surround, Dolby Surround, 
the double-D symbol  
3 
, Dolby Digital  
1 
, other digital formats, or the word “sur-
round” preceding a TV broadcast. Your system is compatible with home theater receivers. 
You can also enjoy a wide variety of stereo programming that is not surround-encoded. 
Unpacking the carton 
WARNING:   
The powered Acoustimass module weighs 33 pounds (15 kg). Use good lifting 
practice to avoid injury.  
WARNING:  
To avoid danger of suffocation, keep the plastic bags that wrap these speakers 
out of the reach of children. 
Note:  
This product is not to be powered by any DC-to-AC inverters that may be found in 
automobiles, recreational vehicles, boats, ships, or other similar situations. 
Carefully unpack the carton contents (Figure 1):
1. Remove the brown inner carton containing the cube speaker arrays.
2. Gently roll the carton over onto its side. 
3. Slowly pull the Acoustimass module from the carton.
4. Stand the module up.
If the cube speaker arrays or the module appear damaged, do not use them. Repack every-
thing in the original carton and contact your authorized Bose dealer immediately. Or, to con-
tact Bose directly, see the list of offices and phone numbers enclosed with your system.  
Note:  
Now is a good time to record the serial number of these speakers on page 2 of this 
guide and on your warranty card. Please save all packing materials for possible future use.  
						

							 
5 
Setting Up 
Figure 1 
Carton contents 
Placing your speakers to achieve realistic home theater sound 
A suggested home theater layout is shown in Figure 2. You may want to place the speakers 
differently to take advantage of the sound characteristics of different rooms. Here are some 
suggested guidelines for placing your speaker system:
•The cube speaker arrays are identical and can be used for any channel.
•All cube speaker arrays are magnetically shielded to prevent interference with a TV picture.
•The top and bottom sections of the cube speaker arrays can be rotated to create 
room-filling sound patterns (Figure 3). 
•Bose 
® 
 wall brackets and floor stands can extend your placement options. See “Accesso-
ries” on page 17. Please follow wall bracket instructions carefully. Proper mounting will 
ensure optimum performance and safety from your system. 
Note:  
The Acoustimass 15 Series II may be upgraded by adding a center rear cube speaker 
array. See “Upgrading your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system” on page 12.
Powered Acoustimass® 
module20-ft (6.1m) system input cable
Three 20-ft (6.1m) front speaker cables
With Acoustimass 15 Series II system With Acoustimass 16 systemRubber feet for front center 
cube speaker array
Five cube speaker arraysSix cube speaker arrays
Two 50-ft (15.2m) rear speaker cables
Three 50-ft (15.2m) rear speaker cables
Power cord (1)
USA/Canada Europe UK/Singapore Australia 
						

							 
6 
Setting Up 
Figure 2 
Suggested home theater 
layouts 
CAUTION:  
To prevent interference, keep the Acoustimass module at least 2 feet (.6m) from 
your TV set. 
Figure 3 
Sound patterns 
Front center cube speaker array 
The front center cube speaker array localizes action and dialogue on your screen. Sound 
should seem to come from within the picture. 
•Place the front center cube speaker array above, below, or on top of your television. If 
below, be sure that it is not supporting the weight of the television in any way. 
•Keep the front cube speaker array as close to the vertical center of the screen as possible, 
for the most accurate dialogue reproduction.  
CAUTION:  
Choose a stable and level surface for your cube speaker arrays. Vibration can 
cause them to move, particularly on smooth surfaces like marble, glass, or highly polished 
wood. If you are placing the center cube speaker array on top of your television, use the set 
of four rubber feet provided. You may obtain additional rubber feet (part number 178321-04), 
free of charge, by contacting Bose 
® 
 Customer Service. See the list of phone numbers 
included with your system.
 6 - 15
(2 - 5m)
2+
(0.6m+)
LRRR
LC
R
 6 - 15
(2 - 5m)
2+
(0.6m+)
LRRR
LC
RCR
For Acoustimass® 15 Series II For Acoustimass 16
For Acoustimass 15 Series II For Acoustimass 16 
						

							 
7 
Setting Up 
Front left and right cube speaker arrays 
The front left and right cube speaker arrays create a sound image wider than the screen that 
seems natural to viewers sitting anywhere in the room. You can place the cube speaker arrays 
near a TV screen with no picture interference. Place the front cube speaker arrays on either 
side of your TV, at least 6 feet (2m), or as much as 15 feet (5m) apart (see Figure 2).  
Rear cube speaker arrays 
The rear, or surround cube speaker arrays add discrete sounds and special effects that 
expand the visual image, bringing the viewer into the center of the action. The rear cube 
speaker arrays may carry dialogue as well. 
•Position the left and right rear cube speaker arrays to allow the sound to reach the viewer 
from both sides, rather than from directly behind (see Figure 2).
•Place the rear cube speaker arrays at ear height (when seated) or higher, if possible.
•Rotate the top and bottom sections of the rear cube speaker arrays to direct the sound to 
the front and back of the listener.
• 
If you have a center rear cube speaker array 
 (Acoustimass 16 system or upgraded Acousti-
mass 15 Series II system), place it so that it is centered between the rear left and right cube 
speaker arrays (see Figure 2). 
Powered Acoustimass 
® 
 module 
Bose 
® 
 Acoustimass speaker technology takes advantage of the fact that the source of pure 
bass sound is difficult to locate, so you can hide the powered Acoustimass module conve-
niently out of sight. Place the module at the same end of the room as the television monitor. 
•You may hide the module behind furniture, but do not block the opening. Be sure there is at 
least 2 inches (5 cm) between any surface and the front opening or the grille on the bottom. 
•If the opening faces the wall it increases the bass; if it faces away it decreases the bass.  
CAUTION:  
To prevent interference, keep the module at least 2 feet (.6m) from your TV set. 
Figure 4 
Powered Acoustimass 
module placement
Note: Placing the module horizontally, or on 
its side, may reduce ventilation, inhibiting its 
ability to play at full output for extended 
periods of time. 
						

							 
8 
Setting Up
Connecting the speakers  
CAUTION:  
Never connect the cube speaker arrays directly to a receiver output. Always con-
nect them to the powered Acoustimass 
® 
 module, then connect the module to the receiver.  
CAUTION:  
Never use broken or frayed wiring, which can result in electrical shock or damage 
to your system. The supplied cables are not intended for in-wall installation. Check local 
building codes or enlist a qualified installer.  
Connecting front cube speaker arrays to the Acoustimass module 
Three individual 20-foot (6.1m) speaker cables connect the center, right, and left front cube 
speaker arrays to the Acoustimass module (Figure 5). Be sure to match the correct cable with 
the corresponding speaker location. Front speaker cables have blue RCA connectors at one 
end with  
L 
 (left),  
R 
 (right), or  
C 
 (center) molded into the connectors. The other ends of the 
cables have two wires. The red collars on the + wire are labeled  
LEFT  
,   
RIGHT  
, or   
CENTER  
.  
Note:  
The center rear cube speaker array is included with the Acoustimass 16 system or may 
be added to an Acoustimass 15 Series II system. For upgrading information, see “Upgrading 
your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system” on page 12. 
Figure 5 
Cube speaker array 
connections to the 
Acoustimass module 
Audio OutputLeft
Rear
Center
RearRight
Rear
Left
FrontCenter
FrontRight
Front
Audio Input 
						

							 
9 
Setting Up 
1. Connect the wire pair marked  
CENTER 
 to the center cube speaker array. Press the termi-
nal tab on the back of the cube speaker array. Insert the marked (+) wire into the red ter-
minal and the plain (–) wire into the black terminal. Release the tab to secure the wires. 
2. Connect the wire pair marked  
RIGHT 
 to the right front cube speaker array (to the right of 
the TV as you face it). 
3. Connect the wire pair marked  
LEFT 
 to the left front cube speaker array.
4. Plug the other end of each cable into the  
CENTER FRONT 
,  
RIGHT FRONT 
, and   
LEFT 
FRONT 
 blue RCA jacks, respectively, on the Acoustimass 
® 
 module. 
Connecting rear cube speaker arrays to the Acoustimass module 
Each rear cube speaker array is connected to the Acoustimass module with a 50-foot (15m) 
speaker cable (Figure 5). Be sure to match the correct cable with the corresponding speaker 
location. Rear speaker cables have orange RCA connectors at one end with  
LR  
 (left rear),   
RR  
 
(right rear), or  
CR 
 (center rear) molded into the connectors. The other ends of the cables have 
two wires. The red collars on the + wires are labeled  
LEFT REAR 
,  
RIGHT REAR 
, or   
CENTER 
REAR 
.
1. Connect the wire pair marked  
RIGHT REAR  
to the right rear cube speaker array (on your 
right as you face the TV). Press the terminal tab on the back of the cube speaker array. 
Insert the marked wire into the red terminal and the plain wire into the black terminal. 
Release the tab to secure the wires.
2. Connect the wire pair marked  
LEFT REAR  
to the left rear cube speaker array.
3. 
If you have a center rear cube speaker array 
 (Acoustimass 16 system or upgraded Acous-
timass 15 Series II system), connect the wire pair marked  
CENTER REAR  
to the center 
rear cube speaker array. 
Note:  
The Acoustimass 15 Series II system may be upgraded by adding a center rear cube 
speaker array. See “Upgrading your Acoustimass 15 Series II speaker system” on page 12. 
4. Plug the other end of each cable into the  
RIGHT REAR 
,  
LEFT REAR 
, and  
CENTER 
REAR 
 orange RCA jacks, respectively, on the Acoustimass module. 
						

							 
10 
Setting Up 
Connecting the Acoustimass 
® 
 module to the receiver  
The 20-foot (6.1m) system input cable connects the module to your surround receiver (see 
Figure 6). The system input cable has a multi-pin connector on one end and several wire pairs 
on the other. The wire pairs of the cable may be separated or “unzipped” as much as needed 
to comfortably reach the surround receiver connections. Each wire pair is marked on the 
cable jacket with  
RIGHT 
,  
LEFT, CENTER, RIGHT SURROUND, LEFT SURROUND, or 
CENTER SURROUND to indicate where each wire connects to the receiver.
CAUTION: Before making any connections turn off your receiver and unplug it from the AC 
(mains) outlet. Not doing so may result in damage to your system.
CAUTION: Do not connect the powered Acoustimass module directly to your TV unless it 
provides surround decoding circuitry and amplified outputs for all channels.
1. Insert the multi-pin connector on the system input cable into the input jack on the Acous-
timass module. Tighten the two thumbscrews to assure a secure connection.
2. Connect each wire pair on the other end of the system input cable to your surround 
receiver. Carefully match the polarity of the connections (+ to + and – to –).
•Attach each marked wire (+) to the appropriate + terminal.
•Attach each plain wire (–) to the appropriate – terminal. 
Note: The RCA plug of the system input cable comes with a cover installed. Remove 
this cover for connection to the LFE/SUBWOOFER OUT jack. If your receiver has no 
LFE/SUBWOOFER OUT jack, leave the plug cover in place.
3. If applicable, connect the RCA plug marked LFE on the system input cable to the 
LFE/SUBWOOFER OUT jack on your surround receiver.
CAUTION: Do not allow exposed wires to brush against each other; this could damage your 
receiver.