JBL Ms8 User Guide

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CALiB r AT iON/se TUP
Rear speakers
1. The MS-8 will then display Rear , with the options None and 1 way. (Separate outputs 
    for two-way speakers are not available for side or rear speakers.) 
2. Use the remote’s Up and Down navigation buttons to highlight one of these options, 
    and press the Select button to select it. NOTE: If you are using only one set of 
    speakers in the back of the car or if there are no speakers in the back of the car, select 
    None .
3. The MS-8 will then display Rear Hi Pass . This screen enables you to choose the 
    high-pass filter for the rear speakers. Use the remote’s Left and Right navigation 
    buttons to display a frequency between 50Hz and 10kHz, and press the Select button 
    to select it. We recommend using at least 100Hz.
4. The MS-8 will then display Rear Hi Pass Slope . This screen enables you to choose the 
    filter’s attenuation rate. Use the Up and Down navigation buttons to highlight a slope, 
    and press the Select button to select it. We recommend using 24dB/octave.
The MS-8 will then display the Xover Setup menu, which lists all the speakers you have 
set up. If you need to make corrections, select the appropriate speaker location from the 
menu, and reenter the information as well as all of the information for the speakers that 
follow. When you are finished with all of the output-setup settings, select Done .
Channel selection
The MS-8 will then display the Channel Selection menu. This menu enables you to 
assign the outputs that you configured in all the Xover Setup menus to specific output 
channels, by number. This menu will display only valid choices (according to your entries 
in the Xover Setup menus). Select the output channel based on the connections that you 
documented in the Configuration Chart you filled out on page 11, in the audio outputs 
section:
1. If a speaker or amplifier is connected to the MS-8’s Channel 1, select Channel 1 from 
    the Channel Selection menu.
2. The MS-8 will display the Channel 1 menu, which will list the available choices based 
    on the entries that you made in Xover Setup. The following choices may be available:
FL – Front left (full-range speaker)
FL Hi – Front left tweeter (or midrange/tweeter combination with passive crossover)
FL Mid – Front left midrange
FL Lo – Front left low (woofer, midbass or midrange)
FR – Front right (full-range speaker)
FR Hi – Front right tweeter (or midrange/tweeter combination with passive crossover)
FR Mid – Front right midrange
FR Lo –Front right low (woofer, midbass or midrange)
Sub 1 – Subwoofer 1
Sub 2 – Subwoofer 2
Ctr – Center (full-range)
Ctr Hi – Center tweeter
Ctr Lo – Center low (woofer or midrange)
SL – Side left
SR – Side right
RL – Rear left
RR – Rear right
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3. If a speaker or amplifier is connected to the MS-8’s Channel 2, select 
    Channel 2 from the Channel Selection menu and repeat the procedure from     
    Step 2.
4. Repeat the procedure for each channel to which a speaker or amplifier is 
    connected. Skip channels that are not connected to speakers or additional 
    amplifiers. If you make a mistake, select the channel that you want to  
    correct, and then enter the correct selection. The MS-8 keeps track of the 
    number of channels that you have used and will not allow duplicate entries. 
    Check your entries carefully against the Configuration Chart you filled out on 
    page 11. Once you’re satisfied that everything is correct, select Done . 
Output diagnostics
The MS-8 will then display the Output Diagnostics menu. We provide this 
screen to help you confirm that your connections and channel assignments 
are correct before you proceed to the next step. 
Select any of the displayed speaker locations to hear pink noise through all of 
the channels dedicated to that location. For example, if you’ve set up a three-
way front system, selecting Front Right will cause the MS-8 to send test noise 
to the three channels you’ve designated as “Front Right” (hi, mid and lo). 
Listen carefully as you move through the speaker locations. If you’ve made 
a mistake (that is, if the noise is coming from a speaker other than the one 
you’ve selected), you may be able to correct the mistake by reconnecting the 
RCA or speaker-wire connectors on the MS-8’s output. 
If you can’t correct the mistake by changing connections, correct your 
Configuration Chart and hold the remote’s Back/Menu button to return to the 
Xover Setup menu (see the If you make a mistake sidebar on page 27). You will 
need to enter the all of the correct information again from the beginning of the 
section. 
Once you’ve determined that all connections and selections are correct, select 
Done in the Output Diagnostics menu. The MS-8 will display the Speaker 
Conf iguration Complete screen. When you’re ready to begin the acoustic 
calibration procedure, select Continue .
ACOUSTIC CALIBRATION
The last step in setting up the MS-8 is making acoustic measurements 
that will help the MS-8 optimize the sound at the driver’s seating position. 
(You may also make acoustic measurements to optimize the sound at three 
additional seats.) To get the best results for you and a single passenger, make 
measurements in the driver’s and front passenger’s seats.
The MS-8 will display Error > Please Connect Microphone .
Connect the included binaural microphone headset to the MS-8’s Mic input 
jack. (The MS-8 will not continue the calibration process until you connect 
the microphone.) Carefully route the microphone’s cable to the driver’s seat, 
leaving enough excess wire to accommodate the movement of your head. Sit 
in the driver’s seat and place the headset mic on your head. Be sure that the 
left and right microphones are on the correct ears!
Select Continue . The MS-8 will display Set Volume > -20dB .
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• If the MS-8’s internal amplifier is set to drive the front speakers, leave the volume 
   set at –20dB. 
• If an external, higher-powered amplifier is driving the front speakers, use the 
   remote’s Volume Down button to set the volume to a level lower than –20dB. 
In either case, the test-signal sweeps that you will hear during acoustic calibration 
should be about as loud as someone sitting in the passenger’s seat speaking at a 
normal conversational level. Performing acoustic calibration with a level that’s too 
high will negatively affect the calibration results. See Volume Up and Volume Down 
buttons , on page 35.
After setting the volume, press the Select button. The MS-8 will display Driver's 
Seat > Acoustic Measurement 1of4 > Look Forward
1. Make sure that you have positioned the binaural microphone headset over your 
    ears and that you are sitting in the driver’s seat. Look straight forward.
2. Select Go . The MS-8 will play a series of test signals.
3. Hold your head still until the test signals stop and the next screen ( measurement 
    2of4  > Look Forward ) appears.
4. Select Go and continue looking forward while the MS-8 plays the second series 
    of test signals.
5. Hold your head still until the test signals stop. NOTE: The subwoofer test signal in 
    measurements 2, 3 and 4 lasts a little longer than the other test signals, so be 
    sure to keep your head still until it has finished and the next screen ( measurement 
    3of4 > Look Driver Side Mirror ) appears.
6. Turn your head toward the driver’s side-view mirror for the third measurement 
    and select Go . 
7. Hold your head still until the test signals stop and the next screen ( measurement 
   4of4 > Look Passenger Side Mirror ) appears.
8. Turn your head toward the passenger’s side-view mirror for the final 
    measurement and select Go . 
9. Hold this position until the test signals stop and the MS-8 displays Driver's Seat , 
    with several options:
Next seating position : Selecting this option will perform acoustic calibration for the 
front passenger seat. 
NOTE: To calibrate for the front passenger seat, you'll need to sit in the front 
passenger seat while the MS-8 makes the measurements. If you wish to calibrate 
for the passenger’s seat, move to that seat before starting the next section.
After the front passenger-seat calibration is complete, “Next seating position” will 
refer to the rear driver-side seat, and then the rear passenger-side seat. To calibrate 
for those seating positions, you must move to those seats before beginning 
calibration.
“Next seating position” repeats steps 1–9 for up to three additional seating 
positions. When you have completed optimizing the sound for all positions, select 
Done .
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Remeasure seating position : Selecting this option remeasures the seating 
position that has just been measured. You can select this option if you think 
you’ve made a mistake, if loud noises were present during any of the test-
signal sweeps, if the sweeps were much louder than someone speaking at a 
normal volume or if you want to remeasure the seating position for any other 
reason.
Quit : Selecting this option aborts the calibration procedure and returns to the 
beginning of acoustic calibration.
Done : Selecting this option will complete the calibration process if you do not 
wish to measure additional seating positions. The MS-8 will display Acoustic 
Measurement Complete > Please wait while it calibrates the system. When the 
calibration is complete, the MS-8 will display Main Menu .
Disconnect the microphone, insert your favorite CD and have a listen. 
Additional adjustments are available in the Main Menu (see Main Menu , on 
page 35).
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VOLUME UP AND DOWN BUTTONS (on the remote control)
Pressing either of these buttons at any time (except during the setup/calibration 
process) will display the MS-8’s System Volume screen, allowing you to change the 
audio volume. The volume range is between –80dB and 0dB.
For the best results, leave the head unit’s volume control set at the level that 
produced the OK , OK, OK readings on the display during the setup process (see Input 
Setup , on page 25), and use the MS-8’s Volume Up and Volume Down buttons to 
control the system’s volume. You may also use the head unit’s volume control to 
control the system’s volume. 
MAIN MENU
When you complete the calibration process, the MS-8 will display the Main Menu 
screen. From MS-8’s Main Menu, you can navigate to all of the MS-8’s functions and 
adjustments.
IMPORTANT:	If	you	decide	not	to	install	the	MS-8’s	display	permanently,	the	
Main Menu and all of the MS-8’s adjustments will not be available. In this 
case,	set	the	MS-8’s	System	Volume	to	– 6dB	(see	Volume Up and Volume 
Down buttons ,	on	this	page),	and	unplug	the	display	unit.	Be	sure	to	store	
the	display	unit,	cable	and	remote	control	in	a	safe	place	in	case	you	may	
want	to	reconfigure	the	system	or	make	other	adjustments.
The Main Menu gives you the following selections:
Input Selection: This screen lets you choose a connected head unit or the Aux 
input as the active source of audio. See Input Selection menu , on page 36. 
Audio Controls: This screen lets you adjust the system level, tone controls and 31-
band graphic EQ, and engage/defeat the MS-8’s Logic 7 processing, digital signal 
processing (time correction and equalization) and seating-position optimization. The 
MS-8 also provides an option to reset all controls to their factory defaults. See Audio 
Controls menu , on page 36.
Favorites: This option lets you store and recall currently active audio settings (you 
can store and recall up to five different combinations of settings). See Favorites menu , 
on page 39.
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Calibration/Setup: This selection performs the calibration procedures as documented in 
this manual. See Calibration/Setup , on page 24. NOTE: If you would like to recalibrate the 
acoustic performance of the system, you may enter its Calibration/Setup section, choose 
Acoustic Calibration and re-tune the system without repeating the input-setup, xover-setup 
and channel-selection procedures.
System Settings: This selection accesses the MS-8’s operational and display settings. See 
System Settings Menu , on page 40.
INPUT SELECTION MENU 
This menu lets you select between the MS-8’s Head Unit input (either the line-input 
connections or Hi Level input connections) and the Aux input connections. The word Active 
indicates which input is currently active.
AUDIO CONTROLS MENU
This menu provides control of all of the MS-8’s audio adjustments. 
NOTE: Pressing the Select button while making any adjustment returns the adjustment to the 
center position.
System Levels : This screen lets you adjust the levels of the Aux input and the system’s 
speakers. Use the Left and Right navigation buttons to vary the levels. (NOTE: If the system 
has both side and rear speakers, the Fader control will adjust between the front speakers and 
both the side and rear speakers in tandem. It is not possible to adjust the balance between 
the side and rear speakers.) 
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Note for systems that include a center-channel speaker: Logic 7 processing steers 
all mono information to the center channel. At first, the sound may seem wrong if you're 
not used to listening with the Logic 7 system. However, after listening for an extended 
period, you’ll find vocal and instrument placement with Logic 7 enabled and the center-
channel level in the center position to be natural sounding and consistent. If you listen to a 
lot of news, sports or talk radio, you may want to attenuate the center channel – you can 
even save a Favorite setting with such an adjustment. In any case, you can always set the 
level of the center channel according to your preference. 
Tone Control: This selection lets you adjust the system’s overall tone quality. The bass 
control and treble control are shelving-type controls, with ±10dB of boost and cut at 20Hz 
and 20kHz, respectively. The midrange control is a peak-and-dip type with a Q of 0.26 that 
offers ±10dB of boost and cut at 650Hz. Use the Left and Right navigation buttons to vary 
the levels.
Graphic EQ: The MS-8’s graphic equalizer is a sophisticated tone control that divides the 
audio spectrum into 31 bands, each approximately a third of an octave wide. This format 
allows you to fine-tune the system’s sound with extreme precision. Each band allows 
±10dB of boost or cut at the band’s center frequency. We have designed the equalizer’s 
circuitry to minimize destructive interaction between adjacent bands, giving you precise 
control with superior sound quality.
Indicator
arrow
Active
frequency Amount of
boost or cut
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The arrow indicates the selected band; the band’s center frequency is indicated 
on the left side of the screen; the amount of boost or cut that you apply is 
indicated on the right side of the screen.
Use the Left and Right navigation buttons to select the frequency band you want 
to adjust, and use the Up and Down navigation buttons to make the adjustments. 
Each press of an Up or Down button changes the level by 0.5dB. As you apply 
boost or cut, the selected band will increase or decrease in size on the screen to 
indicate the relative change in level.
IMPORTANT: The MS-8’s digital volume and equalization work differently 
than standard analog controls. Boosting the MS-8’s subwoofer-level 
control,	bass-tone	control	and	the	low	bass	bands	in	the	31-band	EQ	to	
their	near-maximum,	and	setting	the	MS-8’s	System	Volume	control	to	
0dB,	will	cause	severe	clipping	(distorted	sound)	that	may	damage	your	
system’s loudspeakers.
Logic 7: Logic 7 technology creates an ideal 5.1-channel or 7.1-channel 
surround-sound listening environment from two-channel source material. Logic 
7 processing widens the stereo soundstage and increases the sense of sonic 
envelopment, making the vehicle’s interior boundaries seem to disappear. The 
music sounds as though it exists on its own, rather than coming from speakers. 
We have specifically tuned the MS-8’s Logic 7 for use in vehicles. It includes 
processing for the center-channel speaker (if one is present in the vehicle’s 
system). 
You can turn Logic 7 on and off by pressing the Select button while Logic 7 is 
highlighted in the Audio Controls menu.
Processing: The Audio Controls Processing option activates and defeats the 
MS-8’s digital time-correction and acoustic-equalization circuitry. Using the 
Select button to switch between Active and Defeat will let you hear how the 
MS-8’s advanced digital signal processing dramatically improves your system’s 
performance.
Seat: You can optimize the sound for any of the seating positions that you 
measured during the setup process. Pressing the Select button cycles through 
the available positions: Driver , Passenger, Front, Rear, All. “Front” or “Rear” 
optimizes both front seats or both rear seats as the preferred listening position. 
“All” is a general setting that will produce good sound for any seating position.
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Reset to default : This setting restores all of the audio controls to their default settings. The 
default settings are: 
System Levels: All controls centered
Tone Control: Flat (all controls centered)
Graphic	EQ: Flat (all controls centered)
Logic 7: On
Processing: Active
Seat: Driver
FAVORITES MENU
The MS-8 provides five Favorites positions that let you store the system’s currently active 
audio settings. The system stores all audio and input selection settings in a Favorites setting 
(except the Aux volume setting). This feature lets you tailor the sound for a certain type of 
music or a certain driver, and save and recall the settings at any time.
To store a Favorite
Select “Save Favorites.” The Save Favorites screen will appear.
Use the Up and Down navigation buttons to select the Favorites position, then press the 
Select button to save the current settings there. An asterisk (*) will appear next to the 
selection to indicate into which Favorites position you have stored the current configuration.
To recall a stored Favorite
Select Recall Favorites . The Recall Favorites screen will appear (see above). Use the Up 
and Down navigation buttons to select the Favorites position, then press the Select button 
to activate it. The word Active will appear to the right of the active setting’s number. This 
selection will remain until you choose another Favorites setting or you adjust any of the 
audio settings.
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SYSTEM SETTINGS MENU
This menu lets you adjust the MS-8’s various system settings:
Turn off delay: This setting lets you select a delay time for the MS-8 to turn 
additional amplifiers off via its Remote Out terminal when the MS-8 goes into 
its standby mode. The options are zero seconds (no delay), two seconds or five 
seconds. The factory default is two seconds. 
Brightness: This setting lets you adjust the display’s brightness. Press the Select 
button; then use the Left and Right navigation buttons to change the brightness. 
When you’re finished, press the Select or Back button to return to the System 
Settings screen.
Contrast: This screen lets you adjust the display’s contrast. Press the Select 
button; then use the Left and Right navigation buttons to change the contrast. 
When you’re finished, press the Select or Back button to return to the System 
Settings screen.
Default Screen: This setting lets you choose which screen the MS-8 will default to 
when you turn it on – the Main Menu screen or the Audio Controls screen.
Language: This screen lets you select the MS-8’s screen language. The following 
languages are available: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Dutch, 
Italian, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish.
About: This screen displays the firmware versions loaded in your MS-8.
Restore Factory Defaults: This option erases ALL of the MS-8’s settings and 
filters, and returns the unit to its out-of-the-box state.
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