®
COMPANION 20
MULTIMEDIA SPEAKER SYSTEM
Owner’s Guide | Guía de usuario | Notice d’utilisation
English
Safety and Regulatory Information
Please read this owner’s guide
Please take the time to follow the instructions in this owner’s guide carefully. It will
help you set up and operate your system properly and enjoy its advanced features.
Please save this owner’s guide for future reference.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose the product to
rain or moisture.
WARNING: Do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing, and do not place
objects filled with liquids, such as vases, on or near the apparatus. As with any
electronic products, use care not to spill liquids into any part of the system. Liquids
can cause a failure and/or a fire hazard.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle
alerts the user to the presence of uninsulated, dangerous voltage within the
system enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electrical shock.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle, as marked on the system,
is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and
maintenance instructions in this owner’s guide.
WARNING: Do not place any naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, on or near
the apparatus.
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SAFETY AND REGULATORY INFORMATION
CAUTION: Make no modifications to the system or accessories. Unauthorized alterations
may compromise safety, regulatory compliance, and system performance.
CAUTION: Long-term exposure to loud music may cause hearing damage. It is best to
avoid extreme volume when using headphones, especially for extended periods.
CAUTION: Use only the power supply provided with the speaker system.
This product conforms to all EU Directive requirements as applicable
by law. The complete Declaration of Conformity can be found at
Names and Contents of Toxic or Hazardous Substances or Elements
Toxic or Hazardous Substances and Elements
Hexavalent
(CR(VI))
Polybrominated Biphenyl
(PBB)
Polybrominated
diphenylether (PBDE)
Part Name
PCBs
Lead (Pb) Mercury (Hg) Cadmium (Cd)
X
X
0
X
X
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Metal parts
Plastic parts
Speakers
Cables
O: Indicates that this toxic or hazardous substance contained in all of the homogeneous materials for this part is below the limit
requirement in SJ/T 11363-2006.
X: Indicates that this toxic or hazardous substance contained in at least one of the homogeneous materials used for this part is above the
limit requirement in SJ/T 11363-2006.
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SAFETY AND REGULATORY INFORMATION
NOTES:
• The product label is located on the bottom of the product.
• The product is intended to be used only with the power supply provided.
• The product must be used indoors. It is neither designed nor tested for use outdoors,
in recreational vehicles, or on boats.
• Where the mains plug or appliance coupler is used as the disconnect device, such
disconnect device shall remain readily operable.
Additional safety information
See the additional instructions on the Important Safety Instructions sheet
(North America only) enclosed in the shipping carton.
iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
©2011 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modified, distributed, or
otherwise used without prior written permission.
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SAFETY AND REGULATORY INFORMATION
Information about products that generate electrical noise
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, this is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the
equipment to an outlet on a different circuit than the one to which the receiver
is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced technician for help.
NOTE: Unauthorized modification of the system could void the user’s authority to
operate this equipment and may void the warranty.
This product complies with the Canadian ICES-003 Class B specifications.
For future reference
For convenience, enter the serial number (S/N located on the bottom of the right
speaker) below and on the Customer Warranty card.
Serial number: _____________________________________________________________
Purchased on: _____________________________________________________________
We suggest that you keep your purchase receipt and the limited warranty with
this guide.
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CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Positioning the speakers and control pod . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting the cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting an external music source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Connecting headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Using the speaker system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Turning on the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Controlling the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Automatic standby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Contacting Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Maintenance and Technical Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cleaning the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Technical Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
What you must do to obtain limited warranty service . . . . 21
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INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the Bose® Companion® 20
multimedia speaker system. With these high-quality speakers,
you can enjoy:
• Full, natural sound from just two speakers whether sitting
directly in front of your computer or across the room.
• Sleek, space-saving design that complements the look of
your computer.
• A unique control pod that makes it easy to adjust or mute the
volume and connect headphones and other audio devices.
• Exclusive TrueSpace® stereo digital signal processing that
reproduces wide, natural sound from only two speakers,
bringing more life to music, games and videos.
• Proprietary digital signal processing that delivers crisp, clear
performance at all listening levels.
• Advanced port design and driver that produce powerful low
note performance and room-filling sound.
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SETTING UP
Unpacking
During unpacking, make sure that all parts shown are in the carton.
If any part is missing or damaged, contact your Bose dealer.
Save the carton and all packing materials for possible future use.
Left speaker
Right speaker
Control pod
and cable
Speaker
cable
Audio
cable
Power pack
and cable
AC power
cord*
*Correct for your region.
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SETTING UP
Positioning the speakers and control pod
18 in – 32 in
46 cm – 81 cm
The size and shape of these speakers make it easy to position
them directly next to your computer. To provide an accurate
sound stage, you should observe the following guidelines:
• Place the left and right speakers (left and right speakers are
identified on each speaker back panel) an equal distance from
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SETTING UP
the center of your computer monitor or screen. They should be
between 18 and 32 inches apart.
• Avoid putting objects directly in front of the lower part of the
speaker grilles. This area is where the speaker driver is located.
• Do not place the speakers too far behind your computer
monitor or screen because that will block the sound.
• Place the control pod so it is within easy reach.
• Keep the front of the speakers even with, or slightly forward of,
the front of the computer screen.
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CONNECTING
Connecting the cables
Use the four provided cables and the AC power cord to make the
connections shown on page 13.
CAUTION: Do not plug in the AC power cord until all other connec-
tions are completed.
a
1. Insert one end of the audio in cable
into the Audio In
connector on the back of the right speaker.
2. Insert the other end of the cable into the Headphone or
Speaker output connector (the labels and positions of these
connectors vary) on your computer.
b
3. Insert the control pod cable
plug into the Control Pod
connector on the right speaker.
c
4. Insert the free end of the DC power cable
Power connector on the right speaker.
into the DC
d
5. Insert the end of the left speaker cable
into the Left
Speaker connector on the right speaker.
e
6. Insert the small end of the AC power cord
into the power
pack and then insert the large end into an AC (mains) outlet.
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CONNECTING
Left
speaker
Right
speaker
d
c
a
b
b
a
d
c
e
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CONNECTING
Connecting an external music source
You can connect an iPod, mp3 player, or other music source to
the control pod using a 3.5 mm plug (not supplied). The music
source audio and computer audio are mixed and will both play at
the same time.
To connect an external music source
Fully insert the 3.5 mm plug from the music source into the
Audio In connector on the control pod. To avoid hearing both the
computer and external music source, mute the computer audio.
Connecting headphones
Use headphones with a 3.5 mm plug. Fully insert the 3.5 mm plug
into the headphone connector on the control pod. Connecting
headphones to the Companion® 20 system mutes the sound from
the speakers.
Headphone
connector
Audio In
connector
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USING THE SPEAKER SYSTEM
Turning on the system
Touch the top of the control pod to turn the speaker system on.
The power indicator illuminates. Touch the top of the control pod
again to turn the system off. The power indicator extinguishes.
Power indicator
Power control
Volume
control
Controlling the volume
Rotate the volume control (top outer band) on the control pod
clockwise to increase the volume; counterclockwise to
decrease volume.
When your sound source has a volume control
1. Rotate the Companion® 20 control pod volume control fully
counterclockwise to decrease the volume to minimum (zero).
2. Adjust the volume on your sound source to near maximum.
As you increase the volume, no sound is emitted from the
Companion® 20 speakers, because they are set to minimum.
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USING THE SPEAKER SYSTEM
Note: You should never turn your sound source up to maximum
volume, as this could cause the sound to distort. A volume setting
of about 80% of maximum should be sufficient.
3. Rotate the Companion® 20 control pod volume control
clockwise until the sound reaches the desired listening level.
Automatic standby
The Companion® 20 system automatically goes into the standby
state after two hours when there is no audio signal or the volume
is turned all the way down. You can disable automatic standby so
the system is always on when connected to power.
To disable automatic standby
Lightly press and hold the top of the control pod (approximately six
seconds) until you hear two tones that chime from high to low.
To re-enable automatic standby
Lightly press and hold the top of the control pod again until you
hear two tones that chime from low to high.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Low volume settings (less than 2/3 maximum) on your computer or
media player reduce its output and can unnecessarily limit the
volume of the Companion® 20 system.
Computer volume controls often include:
• External buttons, which may operate independent of the
onscreen controls.
• Onscreen controls, provided on the computer.
• Various media player controls.
Try adjusting one or more of these controls if the sound from the
Companion® 20 system is too low.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem
No sound
What to do
• Make sure the speakers are turned on
(the power indicator on the control pod
is illuminated).
• Make sure the control pod volume control
is not turned fully counterclockwise (minimum).
• Make sure the computer is plugged in and
turned on, mute is turned off, and all volume
controls are turned up.
• Be sure the power pack is securely plugged
into the right speaker and into a power outlet
or surge protector.
• Be sure the AC power outlet is working. When
using a surge protector or power strip, be sure
it is turned on.
The Companion® 20 Decrease the volume of the sound source
system sound seems and increase the Companion® 20 speaker
distorted
volume using the control pod.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem
What to do
One speaker does
not play or sounds
distorted
• Make sure the cable from the left speaker
is firmly inserted into the Left Speaker
connector on the back of the right speaker.
• Check the balance setting on your sound
source.
Cannot control the
volume using the
control pod
Make sure the control pod plug is fully
inserted into the connector on the rear of the
right speaker. Push the plug in using suffi-
cient force to ensure that it is fully inserted
into the connector.
No sound from
headphones
No sound from the
connected device
Contacting Customer Service
For additional help in solving problems, contact Bose® Customer
Service. Refer to the address sheet included in the carton, or visit
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MAINTENANCE AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Cleaning the system
Wipe the speakers and control pod with a dry cloth.
• Do not use solvents or chemicals.
• Do not allow liquids or objects to enter the rear port of the
speakers, the speaker grilles, or any part of the control pod.
If the bottom of the control pod loses its adhesion to the tabletop,
use a lint-free cloth, slightly dampened with water, to clean the
control pod bottom surface.
Technical Information
Driver complement
Two 2.75 inch (70 mm) high excursion, wide-range transducers
Dimensions (approximate)
Speakers: 8.6"H x 3.5"W x 4.4"D (22.0 cm x 9.0 cm x 15.0 cm)
Control pod: 2.5"D x 1.125"H (6.3 cm x 2.8 cm)
Weight (approximate)
One speaker, unpacked: 2.5 lb (1.1 kg)
Control pod: 0.5 lb (0.2 kg)
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LIMITED WARRANTY
This system is covered by a limited warranty. Details of the limited
warranty are provided on the Product Registration Card that
came with your system. Please fill out the information section on
the card and mail it to Bose. Failure to do so, however, will not
affect your limited warranty rights.
What you must do to obtain limited warranty service
Return the product, with proof of purchase from an authorized
Bose dealer, using the following procedures:
1. Contact the Bose organization in your country or region (visit
country or region) for specific return and shipping instructions.
2. Label and ship the product, freight prepaid, to the address
provided by the Bose organization in your country.
3. Place any necessary return authorization number prominently
on the outside of the carton. Cartons not bearing a return
authorization number where required, will be refused.
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©2011 Bose Corporation, The Mountain,
Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
AM344837 Rev.02
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