Series

impact - 10
Serpentine Oblique font

impact - 12
impact - mini

USER’S
MANUAL

Home Theater Subwoofers

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual i
 Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Rear Panel Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Crossovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Interconnect Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Care of Your Subwoofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Protection Circuitry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Troubleshooting and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Velodyne Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual ii
 Congratulations

Congratulations on your purchase of a Velodyne Impact subwoofer system. This system

represents the state-of-the-art in home audio reproduction and will provide you with years of
listening pleasure when properly used and cared for. Read and follow this instruction manual
to ensure safe and proper system connection and operation.

Caution!
Please observe the following instructions to insure safe and proper system operation.

Note: Do not leave unit in direct sunlight or use in high humidity environments!!!

Warning!
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture. To avoid
electrical shock, do not open speaker enclosure or amp chassis cover. Please observe all
warnings on the equipment itself. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Please refer all
service questions to your authorized Velodyne dealer.

Prior to Installation:
Please unpack the system carefully. This unit is heavy. Use caution when lifting or moving to
avoid injury. Please save the carton and all packaging materials for future use. Packing this
unit in any other carton may result in severe damage when shipping. Record the serial number
in the space provided on page 13 for future reference.

Product Features
• Driver configurations:
Impact-Mini — 6.5” (5” piston diameter) active subwoofer and 64 ounce (4.0 lb)
motor structure and 8” (6.5” piston diameter) passive radiator or,
Impact-10 — 10” (8.2” piston diameter) subwoofer and 89.6 ounce (5.6 lb)
motor structure or,
Impact-12 — 12” (9.7” piston diameter) subwoofer and 89.6 ounce (5.6 lb)
motor structure
• Class D amplifier
• Adjustable (50 to 200 Hz) low-pass crossover with a 12 dB/octave slope
• Line-level (RCA) inputs
• Speaker-level inputs and outputs
• Signal sensing auto turn on/off
• Variable volume control
• Selectable phase control (0° or 180°)
• Green (power on) / Red (power standby) mode indicator LED

Prepare for Installation

Your new Velodyne subwoofer provides for a number of installation options. Read all the
installation information below in order to determine which installation option is best for your
system. Remember to perform all installation procedures with system power turned off to
prevent possible damage.

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 1
Placement
The first step in installing your new Impact sub is to determine where it will be placed in the
room. Unpack the system carefully and use the following guidelines in order to find the best
room placement option.

True subwoofers operate at extremely low frequencies which are primarily omni-directional.
Keep in mind that frequency response and output level can be drastically influenced by
placement, depending on the acoustic properties of the listening room. To obtain optimum
output from your subwoofer, try placing it within a foot of a corner. This location will offer the
greatest output levels and optimum low frequency extension. If at all possible, your subwoofer
should be placed along a wall. The worst location for a subwoofer is typically far away from any
walls and close to the center of your room. Avoid these locations when possible. When using
a pair of Velodyne subwoofers in 2-channel stereo, it is preferable to feed each subwoofer with
one channel and place each subwoofer near the satellite of the same channel.

Depending on the size and type of furnishings in the room, perfect placement may not be
possible. Finding the best location within your environment will likely require some
experimentation. We suggest you experiment with the location during setup to find what sounds
best to you when seated in your typical listening position.

Regardless of where you install your Velodyne subwoofer, it must remain in an upright position.
Using, shipping or storing the subwoofer in any other position for an extended period of time
may result in damage to the unit not covered by warranty.

Caution!
This subwoofer has electronics built into the cabinet. Do not place the cabinet next to sources
of heat such as furnace registers, radiators, etc. Do not place the unit near sources of
excessive moisture, such as evaporative coolers, humidifiers, etc. The power cord should be
routed in such a way that it will not be walked on, pinched or compressed in any way that could
result in damaging the insulation or wire.

Your Velodyne Impact subwoofer is NOT magnetically shielded. Should you find it necessary to
use it with an older CRT monitor or TV, keep it at least two feet from the monitor. Experiment
for correct distance by minimizing distortion of the picture and colors.

I n s ta l l a t i o n
Inputs
Your new subwoofer is equipped with speaker-level and line-level inputs. Use the LINE LEVEL
jacks when connecting your subwoofer to a pre-amp, signal processor (such as LFE out), line-
level crossover, or receiver with pre-amp level outputs. When using the line level jacks, some
receivers may not provide enough signal to have the unit’s auto-on feature operate properly.
Additionally, this lack of signal may also cause the subwoofer to produce less output than it is
capable of.

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 2
To alleviate this condition, we recommend the following steps:

1) If using line level jacks, BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT INPUT CAN BE USED – never use just
the left or just the right input. If the subwoofer’s signal comes from the LFE channel of
your receiver, use a “Y” splitter to connect to both the left and right inputs.* If using line
level connections from a preamp or signal processor, use both Left and Right inputs from
your preprocessor or preamp and connect them to the Left and Right inputs on your
subwoofer. (See figure 2a on page 7.)

* This dual male-to-female “Y” splitter can be found at your local electronics store.

2) If using a receiver with LFE out, be sure the LFE channel is sending adequate signal to the
subwoofer. We recommend setting the subwoofer’s level to the 9 o’clock position (the
1/4 volume setting) and then adjust the LFE channel on your receiver or processor to
achieve the desired bass output. See your receiver or processor’s owner’s manual for
more information. (See figure 2b on page 8.)

The SPEAKER LEVEL jacks connect directly to the speaker outputs of any amplifier, integrated
amplifier, or receiver. Your amplifier section will notice no additional loading effects when you
use these inputs due to their very high impedance. If using the SPEAKER LEVEL inputs, you DO
want to connect both channels, since different bass information might be present in each
channel going to your main speakers.

Important!!!
Do not use both LINE LEVEL and SPEAKER LEVEL connections simultaneously!

Caution!!!
To avoid damage to your main amplifier, be sure to maintain correct polarity when making all
connections - red (positive) to red, and black (negative) to black. Be sure all connections are
tight, and that there are no loose strands or frayed wires.

Volume Contr ol
This control allows you to balance the output from the subwoofer to the main speakers in your
system. This control should be set to achieve similar output levels from both the main speakers
and subwoofer when listening to music. A good starting point for the volume control is two or
three graduations from minimum.

Warning:
Some manufacturers preset their receivers with the Sub-Out channel signal at a minimum level.
It is very important to verify that your receiver Sub-Out channel is set to the same output level
as your front right and left channels. Refer to your receiver manual for the individual channel
level adjustment procedure. If your receiver Sub-Out channel is set too low, the subwoofer may
appear to have a weak output, it may sound noisy or distorted, and the Auto On/Off feature
may not operate properly.

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 3
Low-pass Crossover - 50 to 200 Hz
As noted above, all inputs sum the left and right channels together, with the resulting signal
passing through an adjustable low-pass crossover before being amplified. The crossover control
allows you to adjust the upper limit of the subwoofer’s frequency response from 50 to 200 Hz.
The subwoofer’s response will begin rolling off above the frequency you set this control to. You
should set the crossover frequency to obtain a smooth and seamless transition from the
subwoofer to the main speakers in your system. If your main speakers are smaller units with
limited low frequency output, you may wish to choose a higher frequency (such as 100 - 120
Hz) than you would with larger speakers which have greater low frequency output. With larger
speakers, you might start with this control set lower, such as 80 Hz.

Phase Adjustment - 0°/180°

This control allows you to “reverse” the phase of the subwoofer’s output signal 180° to correct
for any possible mismatch and resulting cancellation between the subwoofer and your main
speakers/amplifier. To adjust, simply listen to the system with music playing, then depress the
phase switch from one position to the other and listen for a change in mid-bass frequency
output. The correct position will have a greater amount of apparent mid-bass frequency output.

For all installations, experiment with the phase switch to determine the setting (0 or 180
degrees) that produces the most mid-bass. If the settings sound similar, we recommend the
“0” position.

A u t o Tu r n o n F u n c t i o n
The subwoofer will turn itself on automatically when an audio signal is present. If no signal is
present for approximately eight minutes, the unit will switch to standby mode (Red LED). While
in standby mode, your subwoofer will draw very minimal power.

Warning:
If the Sub-Out channel signal level from your receiver is too weak, this feature will not operate
properly and shut the subwoofer off while you are listening to it. To correct this, see VOLUME
CONTROL section on previous page.

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 4
 R e a r Pa n e l C o n n e c t i o n s

2 3 4

5
1 6

Figure 1.Impact Rear Panel Connections

Figure 1 shows the connections on the rear panel of the Impact. Following are brief descriptions
of the connections described in Figure 1. More detail of these connections can be found below:

(1) LINE INPUT jacks - Connect these jacks to the LINE OUT jacks of the amplifier.

(2) SPEAKER LEVEL OUTPUT terminals - The speaker-level signal to the front
speakers is output from these terminals.

(3) SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT terminals - Connect these input terminals to the
speaker output terminals of your amplifier or receiver.

.
(4) PHASE switch - Select the switch position at which you hear a louder
mid-bass sound.

www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 5

 (5) VOLUME LEVEL knob - Use this knob to adjust the output level of
the subwoofer.

(6) LOW-PASS CROSSOVER - Use this knob to select the high-frequency range at
which you wish to cut-off the signal to the subwoofer.

(7) POWER INDICATOR - Red: Unit is in standby mode. Green: Unit is in operation
mode. (automatically turns to STANDBY mode if no signal for eight minutes)

C ro s s ov e rs

Receiver/Processor Subwoofer Outputs

The Velodyne subwoofer is designed to operate using the full range audio signal for input when
using the built-in crossover. Many home theater processors/receivers (Dolby Digital™, DTS™,
THX™) have a “subwoofer out” jack (sometimes labeled “LFE”) that is internally filtered, settable
at the receiver/processor, and designed to be used with a powered subwoofer. In some
installations, it may be beneficial to use BOTH the Velodyne crossover and the
receiver/processor crossover, resulting in a steeper ultimate crossover slope. In some rare
cases, combining both an external crossover and the one internal to the subwoofer may result
in low output and increased noise. In these installations you may need to bypass the crossover
in either the processor or your Impact subwoofer, or simply setting one crossover to a higher
frequency (such as 120 Hz) will restore maximum performance.

(Refer to Figure 2a Line-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram and Figure 2b Speaker-Level

Subwoofer Connection Diagram, pages 7 and 8 for connection diagrams.)

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 6
 SUBWOOFER OUTPUT JACK
FRONT
AMPLIFIER
REAR

Figure 2a. Line-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 7
 SUBWOOFER OUTPUT JACK
REAR
AMPLIFIER
FRONT

FRONT LEFT SPEAKER FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

.
Figure 2b. Speaker-Level Subwoofer Connection Diagram

www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 8

 Interconnect Cables

When installing your new Velodyne subwoofer using the line level connections, you should
always use shielded phono cables. There are many high quality cables available today. It is
recommended that you keep the length of cable as short as possible to avoid any potential
noise problems.

When using speaker level connections, use a high quality speaker cable that mates well with
the connectors. Be very careful to avoid any loose strands or frayed wires that may result in a
short, which may damage your equipment. Cables of extremely large size are not required due
to the low current draw of this type of connection. Extremely large gauge wire may not properly
fit in the terminals, resulting in a poor connection and possible short circuits.

C a r e o f Yo u r S u b w o o f e r
Your Velodyne subwoofer does not require any regular maintenance. Normal dusting or cleaning
of the surface for appearance purposes is all that is required. We suggest you avoid any harsh
detergents or chemicals when cleaning the cabinet. Abrasives, detergents, or cleaning
solutions may damage the finish on the cabinet. We recommend using only a damp cloth to
clean the cabinet.

During normal conditions, your new subwoofer may be left on continuously without any
problems. The unit is equipped with a signal-sensing turn on/off that will automatically turn on
the unit when a signal is present at the inputs and turn off the unit after several minutes when
there is no longer any signal at the inputs.

Protection Circuitry
Your new subwoofer is equipped with circuitry to provide maximum performance with
greatest reliability.

The unit is protected against:

1) Overheating the amplifier.
2) Excessive drop in power line voltage.

If either of the above should happen, you should reduce the volume setting or shut the unit off
until normal operating conditions return. You may also want to plug the unit into a different wall
outlet, as dropping power line voltage will be most noticeable under strenuous conditions and
may result in the unit shutting down intermittently.

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 9
 T roubleshooting and Service

Before seeking service for your amplifier or subwoofer, please re-check all systems. Following
is a simple troubleshooting guide to assist you.

1. Verify that the unit is plugged in and power outlet used is active.
2. Is the power switch on?
3. Is the unit receiving an input signal from your source?
4. Have all controls (volume, crossover, phase, etc.) been properly set?
5. If the unit has been running at high levels, one of the protection circuits may be
engaged. Has the amplifier overheated?
6. Make sure the speaker wires are fully inserted into the spring clip connectors and that
no wires are touching from one terminal to another.

If the protection circuitry is active, the unit may cycle on and off until operating parameters
return to normal. Under more serious conditions, the unit may shut off completely. Normal
operation should return upon cooling, but you may be required to turn the power off and then
on again to reset the unit.

The following conditions require service by a qualified technician:

1. The power cord has become damaged

2. The unit does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked
change in performance
3. The unit has been exposed to water
4. Some part of the chassis or circuitry is physically damaged

Thank You for Purchasing a Velodyne!

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 10
 Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS IMPACT- Mini IMPACT-10 IMPACT-12

Woofer 6.5” (16.5 cm) active (5” piston 10” (24.5 cm) 12” (30.5 cm)
diameter) & 8” (20.3 cm) passive forward firing foward firing
(6.5” piston diameter) (8.2” piston diameter) (9.7” piston diameter)

Amplifier: 300 watts Dynamic Power/ 250 watts Dynamic Power/ 275 watts Dynamic Power/
Class D 180 watts RMS 150 watts RMS 165 watts RMS

Cabinet Design Acoustically neutral, Acoustically neutral, Acoustically neutral,

down-firing passive radiator downward-firing port downward-firing port

Frequency Response 38-140 Hz 32 -140 Hz 29 - 140 Hz

(+/-3 dB) (+/-3 dB) (+/-3 dB)

Voice Coil 2” copper wound 2” copper-wound 2” copper-wound

Cone 6.5” & 8” Anodized Aluminum Cones Coated Fiber Coated Fiber

Magnet Structure 64 oz. (4.0 lbs) 89.6 oz. (5.6 lbs) 89.6 oz. (5.6 lbs)

Speaker-Level Pass-Through Full range Full Range Full Range

Low-Pass Crossover 50 - 200 Hz 50 - 200 Hz 50 - 200 Hz

Outputs Left and right speaker Left and right speaker Left and right speaker
level pass-through level pass-through level pass-through

Inputs RCA Line Level, LFE and RCA Line Level, LFE and RCA Line Level, LFE and
Speaker Level inputs Speaker Level inputs Speaker Level inputs

Phase 0° or 180° 0° or 180° 0° or 180°

Auto On/Off Yes Yes Yes

Removable Grill Yes Yes Yes

Video Shielding No No No

LED Power Indicator Yes Yes Yes

Input Impedance 65K ohm (for LINE INPUT jacks)

1.2K ohm (for SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT terminals)

Sensitivity Speaker-Level 1.0V 1.0V 1.0V

Line 100 mV 100 mV 100 mV

Power Supply 120V, 60 Hz AC 120V, 60 Hz AC 120V, 60 Hz AC

Cabinet (H,W,D) 11” x 10” x 12.6” 13.6” x 12.6” x 14.9” 15.1” x 14.2” x 18.9”
(inc. feet and grille) 28.4 x 25.4 x 32 cm 38.4 x 32 x 48 cm 38.4 x 36 x 48 cm

Shipping Weight (approx.) 24 lbs. (11 Kg) 30 lbs. (13.6 Kg) 38 lbs. (17.2 Kg)

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 11
 Velodyne Products

115 - 120V 220 - 240V

DD ® Series MiniVee® DD ® Series SPLi Series

®
DD-10 MiniVee 10 DD-10 SPL-800i
DD-12 DD-12 SPL-1000i
DD-15 Optimum Series DD-15
DD-18 Optimum-8 DD-18 SPL-Ultra Series
Digital Drive 1812 Optimum-10 Digital Drive 1812 SPL-800 Ultra
Signature Edition Signature Edition
Optimum-12 SPL-1000 Ultra
SPL-1200 Ultra
DEQ-R Series CHT-Q Series
SMS™-1
DEQ-8R CHT-8Q SubContractor™
DEQ-10R SubContractor™ CHT-10Q Series
DEQ-12R Series CHT-12Q SC-1250
DEQ-15R SC-1250 CHT-15Q SC-10
SC-10 SC-12
DLS™-R Series SC-12 Impact Series SC-15
DLS -3500R SC-15 Impact - Mini SC-IW
DLS -3750R SC-IW Impact -10 SC-IF/IC
DLS -4000R SC-IF/IC Impact -12 SC-600 Amp
DLS -5000R SC-600 Amp SC-602 Amp
SC-602 Amp MicroVee™ SC-600 IW
Impact Series SC-600 IW SC-600 IF/IC
Impact - Mini SC-600 IF/IC SMS™ -1
Impact -10
Impact -12 VX-11

MicroVee™

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 12
 FOR YOUR RECORDS. . .

Date Purchased_________________________________________________________________

Dealer_________________________________________________________________________

Serial #________________________________________________________________________

*NOTE: Please complete and return your warranty card within ten (10) days or

Register. . . ON LINE . . . It’s faster . . . and easier

www.velodyne.com

.
www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 13
 Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.
345 Digital Drive
Morgan Hill, CA 95037

408.465.2800 voice
408.779.9227 fax
408.779.9208 service fax

www.velodyne.com
Service E-mail: service@velodyne.com
Product E-mail: help@velodyne.com
Technical E-mail: techhelp@velodyne.com

.
63-IMP RevE JUN13

www.velodyne.com Impact Series User’s Manual 14