Our vast experience in electrical and audio engineering, hardware design and manufacturing means that you can rest assured our products are made to the highest possible standards. Each new product follows strict guidelines in compliance with industry standard design and manufacturing procedures for reliability, safety, assembly and testing.

We begin with a functional requirement specification that includes specific quality criteria, and develop a customised Quality Assurance and Testing Plan for each product based on those requirements. Our standard QA procedures include vendor audits, incoming material inspections and internal manufacturing and assembly audits. A variety of production tests are also performed during the assembly process, such as visual checks for imperfections and complete functional verification, and we have an X-Ray fluorescence environmental testing machine to ensure RoHS compliance.

Through these established procedures and constant monitoring and quality checking, we have established a culture of excellence that means we consistently produce products of the highest quality.

All of our products have been designed with the environment in mind. OTONE adheres strictly to the ErP Directive to ensure the lowest possible energy use in passive standby and off modes – so you're not just helping save the environment, you're saving money too!

In addition, we are currently in the process of introducing an 'Auto Standby Power Save' (ASPS) mode to all of our products. This means our speakers will automatically hibernate into standby mode when no input is detected, then automatically wake up again as soon as an audio source is connected/switched on.

As a green brand, OTONE is dedicated to minimizing the impact our products have on the environment and comply fully with the RoHS and WEEE Directives. We use 100% recycled material in our packaging, and keep the amount of material used to the minimum needed to protect the products.

WEEE Recycling

Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing areas of global waste, there is a lot you as a consumer can do to help reduce the impact this waste has on the environment.

Electrical and electronic equipment should never be disposed of with general household waste but should be separately collected for the proper treatment and recovery.

The crossed-out bin symbol, placed on the product, reminds you of the need to dispose of the product correctly at the end of its life.

In this way you can assist in the recovery, recycling and reuse of many of the materials used in this product and with your help it is possible to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic waste ending up in landfill and to improve quality of life by preventing the release of potentially hazardous substances into the environment.

OTONE Audio Ltd takes its responsibilities under the WEEE Regulations extremely seriously and has taken steps to be compliant in line with our corporate and social responsibilities

In the UK, OTONE has joined a registered compliance scheme WeeeCare (WeeeCare registration number WEE/MP3538PZ/SCH - OTONE registration number is WEE/FE3141XY). In joining this scheme it means that OTONE meets their legal responsiblities as defined within the WEEE regulations.

If you want to learn more about recycling help to ensure your electrical waste doesn’t add to the global waste issue, please visit www.recycle-more.co.uk and start recycling today.
 

There is a buzzing noise coming from my speaker. How can I stop it?

1. To reduce buzzing, humming or static noise from your speakers, try to route your speaker cables away from computer monitors, TVs or AC power adapter and chargers. These devices have strong magnetic fields that can interfere with your speakers.

1. Check that your audio source volume is not set at 100%, as this can cause distortion. Set the volume to between 70-75%, and use the volume control on your speaker system as the master volume control.

1. Buzzing or hissing can often be a sign of low or weak battery power. If you are using a portable speaker powered by batteries, replace the batteries with a fresh set.

Why is there no sound coming from my speaker?

1. Firstly check that the power light indicator is on, either on the subwoofer, speakers or on the volume controller when the system is switched on.

   If there is no light, check that the power supply is securely plugged in to the wall socket and that the socket is switched on. If the power cable is not hard-wired in to the subwoofer and is an adaptor-type plug, ensure that the connector is securely connected to the back of the speaker and the plug is securely located in the wall socket. If there is still no light, try connecting the power cable to a different power socket.

2. If the power light indicator is on but there is still no sound it is likely that there is a problem with the audio source or levels.

   If the speaker system comes with a wired remote control, ensure that the remote is securely connected into the back of the subwoofer. Check that the audio Line-In cable (green connector) is connected securely both in to the back of the speaker/subwoofer AND the audio source e.g. Laptop, iPod, MP3 player, Games console etc. Then check that individual speakers are connected correctly to the subwoofer i.e. both left and right RCA inputs are securely inserted.

3. If your speaker system is connected to a laptop, MacBook or PC, open the sound card mixer and ensure that the settings are not set to 'mute' and that the master volume is not set to 0 or 100%. as this can also cause audio quality issues. Instead set the volume on the audio source to between 70-75% and use the volume control on your speaker system as the master volume control.

4. Finally adjust the volume of the speaker. If speakers come with mute function, ensure that it is not set on mute.

Can my subwoofer be placed on its side?

1. Yes, there is no problem with placing the subwoofer on its side – even if it is downward-firing. This can often solve the problem of fitting the sub into places where there is not enough room to stand it upright.

Can rechargeable batteries be used to power OTONE portable speakers?

1. Yes, rechargeable batteries can be used to power all portable OTONE speakers. Make sure you use the correct size and power batteries – either AA or AAA depending on the product you have.

Downward-firing subwoofer

A downward-firing subwoofer is a large speaker that faces directly into the ground – so that it increases the rumbling sound of the bass. It’s ideal for music with a heavy bassline or to create a more intense experience in the movies. Downward-firing subwoofers are generally found as part of a surround sound system or other large speaker set, meant exclusively to produce bass. The alternative is a sideways-firing subwoofer.

Driver

The speaker driver is the element at the very heart of the speaker which transforms electrical impulses into soundwaves. They vibrate back and forth when power is applied from an amplifier. It’s clear, then, that good quality speaker drivers – which vibrate freely – are essential to creating a quality sound. In a surround sound system, you would typically have a number of different drivers focused on different frequency ranges; in a smaller arrangement or portable speakers, there are normally just a couple of drivers covering the full range.

Frequency Response

The range over which an audio component can effectively produce a useable and uniform, undistorted output signal. The human ear responds to frequencies from approximately 20 to 20,000 cycles-per-second, or Hertz. A speaker's frequency response indicates how much of that range can be reproduced. Though clearly a broader frequency response gives a more nuanced sound, most sounds are towards the middle of this range so speakers with a narrower frequency response can be adequate for many uses.

Lithium-ion battery

Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in consumer electronics. They are one of the most popular types of rechargeable battery for portable electronics, with one of the best energy densities, no memory effect, and a slow loss of charge when not in use.

Mid-range

The range of frequencies above bass and below treble that our ears are most sensitive to, which includes most vocal and instrumental sounds. Sometimes refers to a driver designed to reproduce these frequencies.

RMS (continuous power)

The amount of continuous power, measured in watts, that an amplifier produces is called RMS power. The higher the RMS figure, the louder and cleaner your music sounds. Average power ratings (e.g. 100W total RMS) provide a more realistic assessment of your amp's performance than peak power (e.g 400W peak/dynamic power), since an amp can only sustain peak power for a short period of time.

Satellite speaker

Small speakers generally used as surround speakers placed or mounted in different locations around a room for a home cinema setup. Because they tend to have limited bass response, they are often designed to be used with a matching subwoofer.

Speaker port

Speaker ports are the holes typically found in the back of speakers. Their role is to enhance the bass sound: in simple terms, the low frequencies of the speaker are produced by the movement of air through the port, rather than from the driver pushing air back and forth (although it is the driver movement that is causing the air in the port to move).

Subwoofer

A speaker specially designed to reproduce a range of very low frequencies only (the bass).  A "powered subwoofer" includes a built-in amplifier to drive the speaker.