Vanguard Caldera 10 Owner's Manual

Brand: Vera-Fi Audio, LLC

Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of the Vanguard Caldera 10 compact active subwoofer! Please retain this manual for setup instructions and tips, as well as contact information should you need to file for warranty repair.

Safety Instructions

Read and follow all instructions listed in this manual.
Keep away from any sources of heat, such as heaters, radiators, stoves, or amplifiers.
Keep away from water and moisture. Do not place plants on or near the appliance. INDOOR USE ONLY!
Ensure all cords connected to the subwoofer are not pinched or walked on, nor do they present any manner of trip hazard that could result in personal injury or damage to equipment.
It is recommended that the subwoofer be turned off by the main power switch or unplugged during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

Rear Panel and Controls

The rear panel of the Vanguard Caldera 10 subwoofer features several connection ports and controls:

High Level Audio Input: Two sets of binding posts (red and black) labeled "LEFT" and "RIGHT" for speaker-level input.
High Level Audio Output: Two sets of binding posts (red and black) labeled "LEFT" and "RIGHT" for passing the signal to speakers.
Line Level Audio Input: Two RCA jacks labeled "L" and "R" for line-level input from a preamplifier or receiver.
Subwoofer Output Level: A rotary knob for adjusting the subwoofer's volume.
Low Pass Filter Frequency Adjustment: A rotary knob for setting the crossover frequency.
Phase Adjustment Switch: A toggle switch, likely for 0° or 180° phase selection.
Power Mode Switch: A three-position toggle switch labeled "AUTO", "STBY", and "ON".
Power/Mode Indicator: An LED light that indicates the operational status.
Main Power Switch: A rocker switch to turn the unit on/off.
AC in/IEC Inlet: A standard IEC power connector, which includes an integrated fuse.
Certifications: Symbols indicating compliance with CE standards are visible.

Positioning

Subwoofer positioning is very dependent on the room size and shape in relation to furniture and your listening position and will take some experimentation to get the best performance. There are many methods of doing this, including using calibrated microphones and DSP, but here we will cover the basic methods to get you right into the music.

From the Listening Position

Choose a starting point to place the subwoofer. Connect it into your system and put on a bass heavy track that you are familiar with and listen to how the subwoofer performs. Note that placing the subwoofer closer to corners or other room boundaries will increase the output, while pulling away from walls will lower it and helps to blend the sub into the soundstage. Keep moving the subwoofer until the bass sounds ideal with good balance and minimal room nodes. Single subwoofer setup takes a bit more to find this balance compared to stereo (2+) installations. Once the subwoofer is installed in the final location, you can continue the calibration.

The Crawl

Another very popular method is the subwoofer crawl. In this scenario, place and connect the subwoofer at your listening position. Put on a bass heavy track that you are familiar with and then crawl around your room listening for the best integration of the bass. The ideal location should have clear definition, tightness, and proper depth. Mark this location and install the subwoofer here. Now you can continue the calibration.

Connections

The Vanguard Caldera 10 has two modes of audio input: high level, or low level (line / LFE).

High Level Input

If your audio source lacks a dedicated pre-out, or you wish to preserve the sound signature of your amplifier for the subwoofer, use the high level inputs. There are two ways you can connect to these: either directly from the amplifier and then connecting the output to your speakers, or splitting the connection from the back of your speakers to the high level input of the subwoofer. Banana plugs or bare wire work best for these. Ensure no connections are shorted and for safety, ensure that your amplifier is off while connecting speaker cables.

Connection Type: These are robust binding posts, compatible with banana plugs or bare wire, allowing connection directly from an amplifier's speaker terminals or from speaker outputs.

Low Level Input (LINE / LFE)

This input is for preamplifiers, receivers, processors, or other audio control centers that have either a dedicated subwoofer or preamplifier out. You can use any quality set of RCA or subwoofer cables for this. Do not connect to a line level output from your source where the source must vary the output with volume. When using this input, it is recommended that the subwoofer be plugged into the same circuit as the source to limit the risk of ground loop. The line level output from the subwoofer is to chain to other subwoofers or components if your source only has one pre-out.

Connection Type: These are standard RCA connectors, suitable for use with RCA or subwoofer cables, typically connecting to a preamplifier's subwoofer or line-out port.

Powering On

Insert the power cable into the rear IEC inlet, and plug the cord into the wall. Select from one of the 3 power modes on the rear control panel and turn on the main power switch. For best performance, it is recommended that you leave the subwoofer in the ON position. The auto function works best if Caldera is used in a home theater application and requires a stronger signal input to engage.

Power Modes

AUTO: With no signal input, the amplifier will automatically switch to standby and will show a green light from the mode indicator. Upon receiving signal, the subwoofer will turn on and show a red light from the indicator.
STBY: Keeps the amplifier in standby with signal cut from the subwoofer. The indicator will be green.
ON: Unit is on, the indicator is red.

Settings and Calibration

Once the subwoofer has been installed into the optimal position in your listening space, it is time to calibrate it to your room. Once complete, the subwoofer should blend into the room and into the stereo image without being able to audibly pinpoint the location of the sub. This requires adjusting the output level to match that of your system, and the low pass filter to match the cut off of your speakers.

Adjusting Subwoofer Output Level

While playing a bass heavy track that you are familiar with, adjust the volume knob on the rear of Caldera. Once dialed in, there should be tonal balance in your system where the bass is not overpowering and effectively compliments your speakers.

Adjusting Subwoofer Low Pass Filter

Also located on the rear panel is the frequency attenuator. The higher the knob is turned, the higher frequencies the subwoofer will play, albeit with higher distortion at higher frequencies. Remember that the subwoofer's duty is to supplement the lower registers that your speakers cannot. Slowly turn this knob until Caldera blends effortlessly with your main speakers.

Maintenance

Do not use any solvents or liquids on Vanguard Caldera; clean only with a dry cloth or microfiber.
Cleaning of the cone, if necessary, should only be done with a feather duster or similar tool that does not apply pressure.
To remove the front grille, starting at the top, grasp firmly on both sides near the dowels and pull towards you. Repeat for the bottom two and pull away the grille. Installation is the reverse of removal; push firmly above dowels to ensure proper seating.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Auto On Not Working / Power Cycling on Signal Input	Switch power selector to ON position.
No Sound Coming From Subwoofer	Ensure that the sub is plugged in and power switch is on. Verify Power mode and indicator light; change to AUTO, or ON. Check all signal input connections.
Too Much Bass / Poor Blend	Lower volume on rear of sub. Pull away from walls / room boundaries / corners. Adjust frequency to reduce overlap with main speakers.
Hum Coming From Subwoofer	If using low level inputs, check for ground loop; plug sub into the same circuit if possible. Check quality of cables, opting for shielded cables for long runs. Swap to high level inputs on rear of sub.

Warranty

Vanguard Caldera 10 comes with a 3-year limited warranty that includes parts and labor for production and material defects.

This warranty does NOT cover:

Accidents, abuse, poor maintenance, or otherwise inappropriate use.
Transportation cost to repair center.
Any attempts to self-repair, or otherwise modify the speaker.

Should any issues arise, please contact Vera-Fi Audio, LLC for an Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number and address for repair. Please retain original packaging.

Distributors

U.S.A.

Distinctive Stereo LLC: River Vale, New Jersey; +1 201 391-1411; info@distinctivestereo.com
Total Entertainment Solutions: 556 Dettor Road, Suite #101, Charlottesville, VA 22903; +1 434 977-1971; sales@tesva.com
Audio Foundations (Available by Appointment only): Hutto, TX 78634; +1 804 433-0684; support@audiofoundations.com
Analog Emporium: +1 901 751-3337; hifigem@hotmail.com

Canada

Hearken Audio: 96 Filbert St, Kitchener, ON N2H 1Y4, Canada; +1 519 635-8354; hearkenaudio@gmail.com

Europe & UK

Hi-Fi House: 17 Gresham Rd, Bournemouth BH9 1QR, United Kingdom; +44 12 024-61719; info@hifihouse.co.uk

Sweden

Audio Concept: Södra Agnegatan 29, 11229 Stockholm, Sweden; +46 08 650-7250; info@audioconcept.se

Thailand

Tombo Audio: 7 Ratchadaphisek Rd. Din Daeng, Bagkok, Thailand 10400; +66 84 241-4496 / +66 65 462-6254; contact@tombo-audio.com

Singapore & China

SG Live Acoustics: Block 34 Upper Cross Street #02-152, Singapore 050034; +65 9238 3607; sgliveacoustics@gmail.com

Romania

Audio Alchemy: 400076 CLUJ-NAPOCA, CLUJ County ROMANIA; +40 722 207135 / +40 772 204352; office@mediavector.ro / audio_alchemy@yahoo.com

Contact Information

This Owner's Manual is current as of October 2024. For more information about Vanguard Caldera 10, please contact: sales@verafiaudiollc.com.

Vera-Fi Audio, LLC
3533 Old Conejo Road, Newbury Park,
California 91320, United States
sales@verafiaudiollc.com
+1 (818) 584-6870

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