Podium Pro Audio
Audio at its highest level
http://www.podiumproaudio.com
© 2009
Podium Pro Audio
Model PP1203A
12” 2-Way Self-Powered Speaker
User’s Manual
INTRODUCTION
Podium Pro Audio self-powered loudspeakers are a high
performance yet economical source of portable live sound
reinforcement. Applications include speech, vocals, stage
monitor and music playback. Used in accordance with the
information provided this product will give years of trouble free
use.
PP1203A FEATURES
•Rugged, light weight ABS construction.
oBuilt-in handle makes setup/teardown easy.
oRubber feet for added stability.
oFeet drop into built-in stacking cups for secure stacking.
oPerforated metal grill.
oBuilt-in 1-½” (38mm) pole mount socket.
•12” steel basket woofer.
oHigh temperature woofer voice coil.
•Titanium diaphragm horn loaded tweeter.
•600 Watt peak power amplifier.
oBuilt-in MIC/LINE mixing capability.
oBass and Treble controls.
oLine level and dynamic microphone inputs.
oBuffered and balanced loop through allows linking any
number of speakers.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
•Read these instructions.
•Follow these instructions.
•Heed all warnings.
•Do not use where the speaker may get wet.
•Avoid placing the speaker in direct sunlight.
•Never place this speaker in close proximity to a heat source such as
a radiator, stove or heater vent.
•Never defeat the polarizing or safety ground on the AC cord.
•Be certain all equipment is OFF before making or breaking
connections.
•Always lower the volume control to minimum (full counter-clockwise)
before turning speaker ON or OFF.
•Never attempt to connect a power amplifier’s speaker level output to
the PP1203A’s inputs.
•Clean only with a damp (not wet) cloth.
•Refer all service needs to qualified personnel. There are no user
serviceable components inside.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Symptom Likely Cause What To Do
AC power not connected or no
AC power.
Verify the presence of AC
power.
Power switch off. Turn speaker on.
No sound.
AC fuse blown.
Replace AC fuse (5A) If new
fuse also blows speaker needs
repair.
No input signal. Verify signal present at input
connector(s).
Input level set too low (full
counter-clockwise).
Turn LINE LEVEL up
(clockwise).
Speaker is ON but no
sound.
Volume control set too low (full
counter-clockwise).
Turn MASTER volume up
(clockwise).
Microphone requires phantom
power.
Change to a Dynamic
Microphone or add a
microphone preamp that
provides phantom power.
Defective microphone. Repair or replace microphone.
Microphone
connected but no
sound from
microphone.
Defective microphone cable. Repair or replace cable.
The source level is too high,
overloading the LINE IN.
Turn the LINE LEVEL down
(counter-clockwise) and/or
reduce source level. Raise the
MASTER volume (clockwise) to
restore desired loudness.
AC line voltage too low. Correct AC circuit fault.
Sound is distorted
even when volume is
low.
Source signal is distorted. Correct source fault.
Excessive hiss in
system. Improper gain settings.
Lower MASTER volume. Then
increase LINE LEVEL and/or
MIC LEVEL to restore desired
loudness.
Source has faulty safety
ground.
Restore safety ground
connection or repair source
equipment.
Hum or buzz level
rises and falls when
volume level is raised
or lowered. Faulty cabling between source
and speaker. Repair or replace cable.
Faulty safety ground
connection.Restore safety ground.
Induced from AC cords.
Re-route AC power cables away
from the audio interconnect
cabling.
“Ground loop” (circulating
ground current).
Break (lift) the audio ground
using an XLR/F to XLR/M
adapter designed for this
purpose. Connect between the
source and speaker.
Excessive length unbalanced
cable from source.
Use balanced cables whenever
possible. Use a Direct Injection
Box (DI Box) to convert un-
balanced sources to balanced.
Constant hum or
buzz unaffected by
volume setting.
Improper gain structure.
Increase source and/or
microphone output level and
decrease speaker LINE IN
and/or MIC INPUT level(s).
PP1203A SPECIFICATIONS
System Description: Self powered, ported 12” two-way
Frequency range (-10dB): 25Hz - 20kHz
Maximum acoustic output level: 122dB
System power rating: 300 Watts (program material)
600 Watts peak.
TREBLE control range: ±12dB @ 12kHz
BASS control range: ±12dB @ 80Hz
Power requirements: 110VAC, 50/60Hz, up to 5A
Enclosure: ABS plastic
Weight: 43 lb. (19.5kg)
WARNING
PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND LEVELS
Podium Pro Audio PP1203A loudspeaker is capable of
generating sound pressure levels (SPL) sufficient to cause
permanent hearing damage to performers, production crew and
audience members. Caution must be taken to avoid prolonged
exposure to SPL levels in excess of 90dB. For example: Always
place the speakers in such a manner that no audience members
or personnel are continuously exposed to sound levels in
excess of 90dB.
6
CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS
①MASTER This control adjusts the
loudness of this speaker. It has no effect on
LINE OUT⑧.
②MIC LEVEL This control adjusts MIC
INPUT⑥level independent of MASTER①,
TREBLE④,BASS⑤and LINE LEVEL③
controls.
③LINE LEVELThis control adjusts LINE IN
⑦ level independent of MASTER①,TREBLE④,
BASS⑤and MICLEVEL②controls.
④TREBLE This control adjusts ±12dB at
12kHz. It has no effect on LINE OUT⑧.
⑤BASS This control adjusts ±12dB at 80Hz.
It has no effect on LINE OUT⑧.
⑥MIC INPUT This input accepts either XLR
or ¼” PHONE plug, balanced or unbalanced.
Do not use XLR and ¼” PHONE inputs
simultaneously.
⑦LINE IN This input accepts balanced or
unbalanced XLR connection. It also accepts
one (mono) or two (stereo) RCA phono
connectors. Stereo signals are mixed to mono.
Do not use both XLR and RCA inputs
simultaneously.
⑧LINE OUT Use this output to link multiple
speakers to a single source. LINE OUT is the sum of the MIC INPUT⑥and
LINE IN⑦.MASTER①, TREBLE④and BASS⑤controls have no effect on
LINE OUT.
Figure 1
⑨POWER LED lights green when the speaker is connected to AC power
and the POWER⑪switch is ON.
⑩CLIP LED lights red when the power amplifier is overdriven. Do not
operate the speaker at a level that causes continuous illumination of this light.
⑪POWER ON/OFF Switch.
⑫AC 110V 50/60Hz IEC power cord connector and AC fuse. The AC fuse
and a spare are located under the cover directly above the AC plug.
3
INSTALLATION
Podium Pro Audio speakers are intended for portable applications where the
speakers will be placed directly on the stage floor or mounted on a suitable
speaker stand.
VERY IMPORTANT: This product is NOT intended for permanent
installations. Such installations must follow rigorous standards, including
cable or chain rigging for safety. No rigging anchor points are provided and
any attempt to modify the enclosure for this purpose will weaken the
structure. Therefore, any overhead placement requiring rigging cannot be
considered safe.
FLOOR PLACEMENT:Speakers should be placed in a secure, dry and level
location. Be sure to cover or tape down any cabling that crosses a traffic lane.
Two speakers can be safely stacked. The feet of the top speaker will engage
cups designed into the top of the bottom speaker. Do not attempt to stack the
PP1203A more than two high. More than two speakers create a tipping
hazard.
Try to place the speakers between the microphone(s) and the audience. This
will minimize acoustic feedback.
STAGE “FOLDBACK” MONITOR: Place the PP1203A on its side, along the
front edge of the stage aimed toward the performers. Exact placement is
strongly influenced by type and placement of the microphone(s).
STAND MOUNTING: Podium Pro Audio speakers are compatible with
standard 1-½” (38mm) stands.
Tip: Sound quality and coverage area are best when the tweeter is between
2 to 4 feet above the audience ear level.
•Speaker stands must only be used on smooth level surfaces.
•Be certain you select a stand rated for at least 50lb. Contact your
dealer for recommendations.
•NEVER MOUNT MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER ON A STAND.
•Do not attempt to mount the speaker on a stand without an assistant.
1. Mount the speaker on its stand prior to making any electrical
connections.
2. Check that the set screw in the speaker base is backed out
enough to clear the stand post.
3. After placement, verify that the stand post is fully seated in
the speaker base.
4. Tighten the set screw (by hand) to lock the speaker in place.
Failure to do so may result in injury or equipment damage.
•Route and secure all cabling such that there are no tripping hazards.
Use gaffer’s tape or other retaining system liberally.
•Any cabling which crosses a traffic lane must be covered or taped
down.
•Add weight (i.e. sandbags) to the base of the stand for added
stability. In a windy outdoor location this is vitally important!
4
AC POWER DISTRIBUTION
It is very important to provide adequate AC power to each speaker in the
system. Performance of the PP1203A may be degraded if the AC voltage
drops more than five volts. The length of the run and the number of speakers
connected dictate the appropriate gauge AC cord (extension cord) to use.
Use the following table to establish the correct gauge AC cord to use.
CAUTION Never connect more than three PP1203A speakers to a single
AC cord run. If more than three speakers are used add additional AC cords
in parallel as needed.
Cord Gauge ONE PP1203A TWO PP1203A THREE PP1203A
16 up to 100’ up to 60’ up to 30’
14 up to 175’ up to 100’ up to 60’
12 up to 300’ up to 150’ up to 100’
SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION
Podium Pro Audio speakers can accept either balanced or unbalanced line
level sources and/or microphones.
•A balanced interconnect is a three conductor system. Two inner
wires carry the audio signal differentially (opposite phase) and the
third wire is for ground reference and shielding only.
•An unbalanced interconnect is a two wire system wherein the center
conductor (aka “HOT”) carries the signal and the shield/ground
conductor is alsoa signal conductor.
The PP1203A will accept the three most common interconnects. XLR, ¼”
PHONE and RCA. XLR are balanced. ¼” PHONE cables can be balanced or
unbalanced. RCA cables are always unbalanced. Balanced interconnects
provide superior noise immunity, especially for runs over 10 feet. It is
recommended that you use balanced interconnects whenever possible.
LINKING MULTIPLE SPEAKERS
See Figure 1 for control and connection locations.
To link (daisy-chain) multiple speakers, use an XLR interconnect from the
LINE OUT connector of the first speaker to the LINE IN connector of the
second speaker. The PP1203A employs a buffered, fully balanced LINE OUT
circuit. Therefore there is no practical limit to the number of speakers that
can be linked!
Tip: To use this feature effectively it is necessary to understand exactly what
LINE OUT is. It is the sum of the MIC INPUT and LINE IN . This includes
their relative levels as set by the MIC LEVELand LINE LEVEL controls.
Note that the MASTER GAIN , TREBLE and BASS controls have no effect
on LINE OUT. This allows you to optimize each speaker as necessary
without altering the other linked speakers.
5
2
600 Watts Max
