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ESC550 Simply Cinema OM  7/22/98 4:34 PM  Page 1

for choosing JBL. For over 50

years, JBL has been involved in every aspect of

musical and film recording and reproduction,

from live performances to monitoring the

recordings you play in your home, car, or office.

We’re confident that the 

you

have chosen will provide every note of enjoy-

ment that you expected – and that when you

think about purchasing additional audio equip-

ment for your home, car, or office, you will once

again choose JBL.

Please take a moment to complete the enclosed

profile card. It enables us to keep you posted on

our latest advancements, and helps us to better

understand our customers and build products

that meet your needs and expectations.

JBL Consumer Products

Safety Precautions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.  Speaker Placement  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mounting Options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.

Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Connect TV or VCR to The Source™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect Antennas to The Source  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect Optional Cassette Deck to The Source  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connect The Source to a Subwoofer  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Speaker Connection Tips  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Remote Control Battery Installation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3.

Operation

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Volume  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Mute  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Bass

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Treble  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CD Operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

To Skip to a Different Track  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
To Scan Within the Same Track  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
To Pause the CD  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
To Stop the CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
To Play the Tracks of a CD in Random Order  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
To Repeat the Disc  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Tuner Operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

To Switch Between AM and FM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
To Tune to a Particular Station  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
If a Selected FM Station is a Little Noisy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
To Have the Tuner Search for the Next Strong Station  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Preset Operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Surround Mode Operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Test Tone

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Balance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Center Channel Volume   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Rear Channel Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Delay Time  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Troubleshooting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Specifications

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

ESC550 Simply Cinema OM  7/22/98 4:34 PM  Page 2

– 3 –

All the

safety and operating instruc-
tions should be read before
the product is operated.

The

safety and operating instruc-
tions should be retained for
future reference.

All warn-

ings on the product and in the
operating instructions should
be adhered to.

All

operating and use instructions
should be followed.

Unplug this prod-

uct from the wall outlet before
cleaning. Do not use liquid
cleaners or aerosol cleaners.
Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

Do not use

attachments not recommended
by the product manufacturer,
as they may cause hazards.

Do

not use this product near
water – for example, near a
bathtub, wash bowl, kitchen
sink or laundry tub; in a wet

basement; or near a swimming
pool; and the like.

Do not place

this product on an unstable
cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table. The product may fall,
causing serious injury to a
child or adult, and serious
damage to the product. Use
only with a cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table recommended
by the manufacturer, or sold
with the product. Any mount-
ing of the product should fol-
low the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions, and should use a
mounting accessory recom-
mended by the manufacturer.

Quick stops,

excessive force, and uneven
surfaces may cause the prod-
uct and cart combination to
overturn.

Slots and

openings in the cabinet are
provided for ventilation and to
ensure reliable operation of
the product and to protect it
from overheating, and these
openings must not be blocked
or covered. The openings
should never be blocked by
placing the product on a bed,
sofa, rug, or other similar sur-
face. This product should not
be placed in a built-in instal-
lation such as a bookcase or
rack unless proper ventilation
is provided or the manufactur-
er’s instructions have been
adhered to.

This prod-

uct should be operated only
from the type of power source
indicated on the marking
label. If you are not sure 
of the type of power supply 
to your home, consult your

product dealer or local power
company. For products intended
to operate from battery power,
or other sources, refer to the
operating instructions.

This product may

be equipped with a polarized
alternating-current line plug
(a plug having one blade
wider than the other). This
plug will fit into the power
outlet only one way. This is a
safety feature. If you are
unable to insert the plug fully
into the outlet, try reversing
the plug. If the plug should
still fail to fit, contact your
electrician to replace your
obsolete outlet. Do not defeat
the safety purpose of the
polarized plug.

Power-supply cords should be
routed so that they are not
likely to be walked on or
pinched by items placed upon
or against them, paying par-
ticular attention to cords at
plugs, convenience recepta-
cles, and the point where they
exit from the product.

The

power cord of the product
should be unplugged from the
outlet when left unused for
long periods of time.

If an outside

antenna or cable system is
connected to the product, be
sure the antenna or cable sys-
tem is grounded so as to pro-
vide some protection against
voltage surges and built-up
static charges. Article 810 of
the National Electrical Code,
ANSI/NFPA 70, provides infor-
mation with regard to proper
grounding of the mast and

supporting structure, ground-
ing of the lead-in wire to an
antenna discharge unit, size of
grounding conductors, location
of antenna-discharge unit,
connection to grounding elec-
trodes, and requirements for
the grounding electrode. See
Figure 1.

For added pro-

tection for this product during
a lightning storm, or when 
it is left unattended and
unused for long periods of
time, unplug it from the wall
outlet and disconnect the
antenna or cable system. This
will prevent damage to the
product due to lightning and
power-line surges.

An outside

antenna system should not be
located in the vicinity of 
overhead power lines or other
electric light or power circuits,
or where it can fall into such
power lines or circuits. When
installing an outside antenna
system, extreme care should
be taken to keep from touching
such power lines or circuits, as
contact with them might be
fatal.

Do not over-

load wall outlets, extension
cords, or integral convenience
receptacles, as this can result
in a risk of fire or electric
shock.

Never push objects of any kind
into this product through
openings, as they may touch
dangerous voltage points or
short-out parts that could
result in a fire or electric
shock. Never spill liquid of 
any kind on the product.

Do not attempt

to service this product your-
self, as opening or removing
covers may expose you to 
dangerous voltage or other
hazards. Refer all servicing to
qualified service personnel.

Unplug this product

from the wall outlet and refer
servicing to qualified service
personnel under the following
conditions:

The power-supply cord or

the plug has been damaged; or

Objects have fallen onto, or

liquid has been spilled into,
the product; or

The product has been

exposed to rain or water; or

The product does not oper-

ate normally when following
the operating instructions.
Adjust only those controls that
are covered by the operating
instructions, as an improper
adjustment of other controls
may result in damage and will
often require extensive work
by a qualified technician to
restore the product to its 
normal operation; or

The product has been

dropped or damaged in any
way; or

The product exhibits a dis-

tinct change in performance –
this indicates a need for 
service.

When

replacement parts are required,
be sure the service technician
has used replacement parts
specified by the manufacturer
or that have the same charac-
teristics as the original part.
Unauthorized substitutions
may result in fire, electric
shock or other hazards.

Upon 

completion of any service or
repairs to this product, ask the 
service technician to perform
safety checks to determine
that the product is in proper
operating condition.

The product should be 
mounted to a wall or ceiling
only as recommended by the
manufacturer.

The product should

be situated away from heat
sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other
products (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.

CAUTION: To prevent electric shock,

 do not remove the grounding plug 

on the power cord, or use any plug 

or extension cord that does not have 

a grounding plug provided. 

Make certain that the 

AC outlet is properly grounded. 

Do not use an adapter plug 

with this product.

The lightning flash with arrowhead 
symbol, within an equilateral triangle, 
is intended to alert the user to the 
presence of uninsulated “dangerous 
voltage” within the product’s enclosure 
that may be of sufficient magnitude to 
constitute a risk of electric shock to 

persons.

The exclamation point within an 
equilateral triangle is intended to alert 
the user to the presence of important 
operating and maintenance (servicing) 
instructions in the literature 
accompanying the appliance.

Part No. JBLULB 6/96

ESC550 Simply Cinema OM  7/22/98 4:34 PM  Page 3

– 4 –

The Source.

Cables.

Two sat10/550 front 
satellite speakers 
(with removable shelf stands
and wall-mounting brackets).

Powered subwoofer containing
all amplification.

One sat10/550 center speaker. 

One pair of sat10 surround
speakers with removable wall-
mounting brackets.

• Built-in CD player with

– Random play
– Repeat play
– 8x oversampling

• AM/FM tuner with

– 32 presets
– Auto-preset function

• 250 watts total 

amplification
– 100 watts – subwoofer
– 35 watts each front 
channel
– 23 watts each surround
channel

• 2-way front satellite 
speakers with 3/4" titanium
composite dome high-
frequency drivers

• Powered bass reflex 
subwoofer with 2 x 6-1/2"
woofers

• Adjustable, removable wall-
mounting brackets for all
speakers

• Video-shielded front satellite
speakers

• Recessed wire channels on
satellites and surrounds

Remote with battery.

TM

+

–

+

–

+

FM antenna

AM antenna

Wall bracket for Source.

FM and AM antennas.

ESC550 Simply Cinema OM  7/22/98 4:34 PM  Page 4