MoFi SourcePoint 888 Loudspeaker

Thank you for purchasing the SourcePoint 888. The name SourcePoint 888 is derived from the use of three 8-inch drivers. The goal for the SourcePoint 888 is to enhance the technology and sound quality of the SourcePoint 8 and elevate it to an even higher performance level.

Starting with SourcePoint 8's unique twin drive magnet structure, paper pulp cone, and concentrically mounted soft dome tweeter, two newly developed dedicated 8-inch woofers have been added to create a 3-way floor-standing speaker with exceptional bass extension and dynamics. The additional woofers operate below 130Hz and relieve the concentric driver from the task of producing deep bass, allowing it to be optimized for midrange and treble performance.

The new woofers employ dual opposing neodymium magnets in a configuration that uses a short coil in a long magnetic gap. The magnetic field is entirely uniform throughout the gap, resulting in a very linear and precisely controlled force for driving the cone.

Every driver operates in optimally sized individual isolated chambers, the construction of which adds considerable stiffness to the cabinet to help reduce cabinet resonances.

Please follow the setup guidelines outlined in this manual and feel free to experiment to optimize your listening experience. Andrew Jones, Chief Loudspeaker Designer, MoFi Electronics.

General Safety and Installation

• Be sure to connect the speakers according to the instructions in this manual.
• Any time you directly handle the speakers, do not place your hand or fingers on the driver cone.
• Do not place the speakers in areas that may be in direct sunlight; have high humidity; are too hot or cold; or that block ventilation openings.
• Do not place the speakers near heat sources such as radiators, valves, stoves, or other heat-emitting apparatus (including amplifiers).
• To prevent overload, avoid playing the speakers at extreme volume levels for extended time periods, particularly if left unattended.
• Clean the speakers with a soft, smooth cloth or with a dust brush. Do not use scouring agents, alcohol, benzene, furniture polish, or other agents.
• Do not install the speakers in a closed rack or in a closed cupboard.
• Continuous high volume may cause severe damage to your hearing.
• Install the speakers on a level surface.
• Avoid placing anything on top of the speakers, especially products with rubber feet, which may damage the finish.
• WARNING: Stability on carpeted surfaces can be increased by using spikes; do not use spikes on smooth hard floors. Avoid contact with the spike tips, which can be very sharp.

Unboxing Your Speaker

To open the double-boxed package, stand the carton upside down and carefully open the outer carton flaps and fold them outward. Next open the inner carton flaps. Fold the flaps outward, remove the foam packing piece, flip the box right side up and slowly lift the carton to reveal the speaker. One of the pieces of packing foam will likely remain inside the box. The speaker will now be right side up and contained within a white protective bag with a center ring of packing foam. Remove the foam by lifting it upwards. Remove the tape holding the bag closed and drop the bag to the floor.

Carefully remove the bag. The speaker will now be sitting on its four feet. If you wish to remove or change the feet, refer to the section "Installing the Feet".

Connecting Your Speakers

Your speakers are equipped with two sets of binding posts to allow for bi-wire and bi-amp connectivity. The binding posts are linked with straps. Leave them in place if not bi-amping or bi-wiring. Please see the following page for instructions on how to connect for bi-wiring or bi-amping.

Power off all partnering audio equipment before connecting the speakers.

Connect the positive (red) marked side of one end of the cable to the positive (red) terminal on the amplifier/receiver and the other end to the positive (red) terminal on the speaker. Follow the same instructions for the negative (black) side.

If using a bare wire connection (rather than spades or plugs), strip approximately 3/4” of the insulation from the ends of the cable, twist the bare strands clockwise, insert it into the binding post, and tighten the post. Check to see that no stray strands of wire bridge the gap between the terminals.

If using banana plugs, make sure terminals are tight and nothing is loose to vibrate.

Biwiring and Biamping

Warning: Before connecting for bi-wiring or bi-amping, you must remove the shorting straps. Failure to do so will either defeat the purpose or potentially damage your amplifier.

Diagram A shows the connection for bi-wiring. One set of cables is connected to the lower pair of terminals. This is the Woofer channel. The other set of cables is connected to the upper pair of terminals. This is the Midrange / Tweeter channel. Not all amplifiers have dual sets of speaker posts, so the two cables will have to be wired into common posts. Be very careful to dress the wires such that nothing can short circuit.

Diagram B shows the connection for bi-amping. The woofer cables are connected to one channel of the amplifier, and the tweeter cables are connected to the other channel.

The amplifier must be configured specifically for bi-amping. It is very critical to ensure that the cables are connected correctly, and the amplifier is set according to the amplifier manual. If in doubt, contact the amplifier manufacturer.

Diagram A: Bi-wiring connection

Diagram B: Bi-amping connection

Speaker Placement

There is no golden rule for speaker placement, but following a few general guidelines will help optimize performance. Spend time experimenting with speaker placement, one of the most effective and affordable ways of maximizing the sound quality of these speakers.

Start by placing the speakers approximately one to three feet away from boundaries such as walls and corners. Close proximity to a side or rear wall will enhance bass responsiveness, but if the speakers are positioned too near a boundary, it may sound excessive.

Experimentation is key. Move the speakers around while listening to your favorite tracks and listen for controlled, balanced bass at all frequencies. Focus on the bass relative to the mid-bass and low midrange. Also, listen to male and female vocals, and determine whether the voice is natural without sounding “chesty.”

Recommended Placement:

• 2 to 4 ft from side walls
• 2 to 4 ft from rear wall

Optimizing Stereo Imaging

Imaging is often overlooked when listening to stereo speakers. If correctly spaced and arranged with an optimal toe-in angle, these speakers can create a large involving soundstage while retaining focused imaging.

Start by placing the speakers so they form an equilateral triangle with the listener. Rotate each speaker so that it points towards the listener. With the concentric-driver utilized in these speakers, you may get best results by rotating the speaker so that their axes point slightly in front of or behind the listener. To determine which sounds best, cue up some music and listen to the size and scale of the sound field, and how focused center voices sound.

Also, try moving the speakers further apart, or closer together, and listen again for imaging. Be aware that as you move the speakers further apart, they will come closer to the side walls. You can compensate for potential sound by toeing in the speakers to a greater degree. After you try out different setups, choose the option that sounds the best to you. There is no right or wrong.

Installing the Feet

The feet are supplied in four pieces: a threaded rod, a locking ring, a cone, and a flat foot. Choose first whether to use the cone (intended for carpeted floors) or the flat foot (used for wood or tiled floors).

Thread the rod through the locking ring and into either the cone or the flat foot. Turn the rod until it is locked tight into the cone or foot.

To fit the feet into the speaker cabinet, turn the speaker upside-down, having first marked out its location in your listening room. Rotate the locking ring until it is in contact with the cone or foot.

Screw the assembly into the screw insert in the bottom of the cabinet until the locking ring is in contact with the cabinet.

Next, stand the cabinet upright, move it to the marked location and check if it is stable, ensuring it does not rock. You may need to slightly unscrew one or more of the feet until the speaker ceases rocking. This can prove to be an iterative process! Once you have a stable setting, rotate the locking ring upwards to relock it to the base of the cabinet.

You may wish to insert the feet without turning the speaker upside down. It is recommended that you have a helper when doing this, to make sure the cabinet does not fall over as you tilt it to fit the feet.

Foot Types:

• Hard Surfaces: Flat feet
• Carpeted: Cones

Attaching the Grilles

The grilles magnetically attach to the speakers. To affix, simply hold a grille by its edges and hold it up next to the front baffle. It will automatically pull itself to the baffle and self-locate. To remove it, hold the edges and pull it away from the baffle.

Technical Specifications

For more information, visit www.mofielectronics.com.

MoFi Electronics – 1811 W Bryn Mawr Ave Chicago IL