I N S TA L L AT I O N G U I D E FOR USE IN MULTI-CHANNEL MUSIC OR HOME THEATER SYSTEMS HIGH DEFINITION, SIDE/REAR CHANNEL EFFECTS, IN-WALL LOUDSPEAKERS HDFX
CONGRATULATIONS! Thank you for choosing HDFX High-Definition, Side-/Rear-Channel Effects, In-Wall Loudspeakers from Niles. With proper installation and operation, you should enjoy years of trouble-free use. Niles manufactures the industry’s most complete line of custom installation components and accessories for audio/video systems. To see the complete Niles product assortment, visit us on the Internet at: www.nilesaudio.
INTRODUCTION Niles HDFX High-Definition, Side-/Rear-Channel Effects, In-Wall Loudspeakers are expressly designed for superior sonic quality in side- or rear-channel applications. They employ advanced technology components that extract the subtle nuances in recorded music or the thunderous action sound in a movie. HDFX loudspeakers are the perfect choice wherever quality of sound is the most important consideration.
BIPOLE/DIPOLE AND FX/CUT SWITCHES The HDFX also includes a baffle-mounted BIPOLE/DIPOLE mode switch so the installer can set the surround effects for either side or rear placement. A companion FX/CUT switch allows adjustment of the direct/diffuse sound field balance to provide realistic effects, regardless of room size. EASY RETROFIT INSTALLATION IN YOUR EXISTING HOME Designed for ease of installation, the Niles mounting system makes retrofit installations simple and fast.
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS Bracket New Construction Wings Frame Loudspeaker Baffle Grille Acoustic Fine Tuning Controls Figure 1.
TOOLS AND PRECAUTIONS We recommend using the following tools to install an HDFX loudspeaker: • Electric drill with 1/4- and 1/2-inch drill bits, and a 1-inch flat drill bit (for drilling through studs) • Keyhole or drywall saw • Stiff wire, fish tape, or glow rods (for routing cables) • Phillips screwdriver set • Cable ties • Pencil • Level • Rubber gloves and protective eyewear Before starting the installation, please observe the following precautions: • Turn off all system power before making any connecti
LOUDSPEAKER WIRE Use 2-conductor loudspeaker wire when connecting loudspeakers to your receiver or amplifier. For most applications, we recommend using 16- or 18-gauge wire. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet, we recommend 14-gauge wire. The spring-loaded terminals of the HDFX will accommodate up to 12-gauge wire directly. Larger sizes can be accommodated via pin connectors. When running wire inside walls or ceilings, use special jacketed cable (CL-2 or CL-3) to protect the wire and for fire prevention.
LOUDSPEAKER PLACEMENT NOTE: THE NILES HDFX LOUDSPEAKER IS DESIGNED FOR USE IN SIDE- OR REAR-CHANNEL APPLICATIONS ONLY. FOR FRONT-OR CENTER-CHANNEL APPLICATIONS, WE RECOMMEND USING A NILES HDLCR OR HDLCRBX LOUDSPEAKER PLACEMENT FOR HOME THEATER REAR APPLICATIONS In home theater, the goal is to reproduce the experience of a great movie theater in your home. The biggest difference between the two venues is the use of a rear- or surround-loudspeaker array in a commercial theater.
Figure 2. HDFX loudspeakers are placed near back corner walls of a home theater room. Figure 3. HDFX loudspeakers are placed near back corner walls of a home theater room with an L-shaped sofa. • If your home theater system is capable of reproducing Dolby EX surround sound, consider using a second pair of HDFX loudspeakers (on the side walls) for an additional rear surround effect, as shown in Figure 4 (on the next page).
PLACEMENT FOR HOME THEATER REAR APPLICATIONS (CONTINUED) Figure 4. Two pairs of HDFX loudspeakers reproduce Dolby EX surround sound in a home theater room. THE BOUNDARY EFFECT Placing a loudspeaker in a corner can powerfully affect the way a listener perceives bass response. Known as the boundary effect, placing loudspeakers close to a wall/ceiling boundary or near a corner-wall boundary will emphasize certain bass frequencies, while canceling others.
INSTALLATION FUNDAMENTALS RUNNING THE LOUDSPEAKER WIRE IN NEW CONSTRUCTION IMPORTANT: IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER YOU ARE CAPABLE OF INSTALLING A NILES WALL-MOUNT LOUDSPEAKER, PLEASE CONSULT A NILES DEALER OR PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER. THEY HAVE SPECIAL TOOLS, TECHNIQUES, AND EXPERIENCE TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE JOB POSSIBLE. THE INSTALLER CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ESTIMATE BEFORE ANY WORK IS DONE.
RUNNING THE LOUDSPEAKER WIRE IN NEW CONSTRUCTION (CONTINUED) ABOUT DRILLING Use a bit that is large enough for the wires you plan to run. This is an important consideration, since you may be drilling a lot of holes. Here are some additional tips: • We recommend using an auger bit for rough-in wiring. It will actually pull itself through the wood, so that the drill motor, not you, does most of the work. • Always drill the holes in the center of the stud.
CONCEALING LOUDSPEAKER WIRE ABOUT INTERIOR WALLS Interior walls in almost all North American residences are hollow, so they are easy installation sites for flush mounting loudspeakers and routing new loudspeaker cable in the house. Looking at a painted wallboard, plaster, or paneling, you only see the skin of the wall.
CONCEALING LOUDSPEAKER WIRE (CONTINUED) PLANNING THE LOUDSPEAKER WIRE ROUTE (CONTINUED) To find exactly where an electrical cable is routed, try inspecting the inside of the wall by turning off the breaker for a particular power outlet or switch, removing the cover plate and switch or receptacle, and then shining a penlight into the wall. If you have access to an attic or basement space, you can quickly see which part of the wall space is free of obstructions, as shown in Figure 7. Figure 7.
OTHER POSSIBLE LOUDSPEAKER WIRE ROUTES INCLUDE: • Under-the-carpet runs using flat loudspeaker wires. • Heating and air conditioning vents used as wire raceways for plenum-rated wire. NOTE: CHECK YOUR LOCAL BUILDING CODES, SINCE SOME MUNICIPALITIES REQUIRE CONDUIT. CUTTING HOLES In traditional wood stud/drywall construction, first cut the hole for the loudspeaker. Then, in the opening, use a drill with a long bit to auger a wire route up or down the wall.
NEW CONSTRUCTION: INSTALLING A BRACKET The hole-saving bracket enables a faster and cleaner final installation of the loudspeaker. It forces the drywall installer to cut out the loudspeaker hole for you and provides wire ties for the loudspeaker wire, reducing the risks of accidental loss or movement of the wire. In addition, it enables you to align your loudspeakers with other ceiling fixtures with greater accuracy, since you can see exactly where the loudspeaker will be.
CONCEALING LOUDSPEAKER WIRE FOR A FUTURE INSTALLATION 1. Attach the loudspeaker wire in a loop between the wall studs or ceiling joists and carefully mark the exact location of the wire on a set of plans. 2. Ask the general contractor to inform the drywall installers that the loudspeaker wire loops are concealed for future installations, as shown in Figure 12. Figure 12. The loudspeaker wire is looped and hung on two nails attached to the joists, securing it for future use.
EXISTING CONSTRUCTION: INSTALLING A BRACKET (CONTINUED) 4. Continue turning the coat hanger as you move it into the cavity to a depth of approximately 4 inches. If you feel an obstruction, fill the hole(s) with spackling compound and repeat steps 1 through 4 at a new location. 5. If the coat hanger moves freely in a complete circle, hold the supplied template up to the wall or ceiling and level it in the horizontal or vertical position.
FINISHING THE INSTALLATION PAINTING THE GRILLE AND FRAME After drywall is up, each HDFX frame and grille may be painted without the need for primer. For best results, use a spray gun or airless sprayer, thin the paint to prevent clogging of the grille holes, and apply several light coats instead of one heavy one. 1. Paint each grille and let it dry before installation. 2. Paint each frame and let it dry before installation. INSTALLING THE FRAME 1. Fill each wall cavity with insulation.
CONNECTING AND INSTALLING THE LOUDSPEAKER 1. At each loudspeaker, separate the loudspeaker wire so that at least 2 inches of each conductor are free. Strip away 1/4 inch of insulation from each loudspeaker wire. 2. On each set of loudspeaker connectors, press down the spring-loaded lever, insert the appropriate conductor, and then release the lever, as shown in Figure 15. Gently tug on the loudspeaker wire to make sure it is held in place. If not, repeat this procedure until it is.
IMPORTANT: WHEN INSTALLING THE LOUDSPEAKERS IN THE CEILING, OR IF THE INSTALLATION IS IN AN EARTHQUAKE ZONE, WE RECOMMEND USING THE ENCLOSED SHEET METAL SCREWS TO SECURE THE BAFFLE TO THE FRAME AS FOLLOWS: a. Locate the dimples on the front baffle. b. Place the self-tapping sheet-metal screw in the dimple and turn it with a screwdriver until it cuts through the baffle and anchors securely in the frame, as shown in Figure 17. Figure 17.
CHECKING LOUDSPEAKER PHASE (CONTINUED) Of course, there are some wires that appear completely identical. So be careful, or you might make a connection mistake. If you do, one loudspeaker will be playing “out-of-phase” with the other loudspeaker. A pair of out-of-phase loudspeakers works against each other, and the sound of the two playing together will be lacking in bass and sound “phasey.” If you suspect the sound is not right, and you cannot see any markings on the wire, try this simple test: 1.
SETTING THE DIRECT/DIFFUSE SOUND FIELD BALANCE Each HDFX also includes a companion FX/CUT control (see Figure 18) that allows adjustment of the direct/diffuse sound field balance to provide realistic effects regardless of room size. • In large rooms (where the loudspeakers are farther away from the listening position), use the FX setting for a more direct sound. • In small rooms, use the CUT setting for a more diffuse sound. Figure 18. The HDFX includes BIPOLE/DIPOLE and FX/CUT controls.
OPERATION LISTENING AT HIGHER VOLUMES Achieving a reasonable volume of sound in a large room requires more amplifier power than it does in a small room. It is possible to turn the volume up so high that the amplifier runs out of power. This creates “clipping” distortion, which will make treble sound very harsh and unmusical.
SPECIFICATIONS Recommended Amplifier Power 10 to 150 watts per channel Nominal Impedance 8 ohm Frequency Response 65 Hz to 21 kHz, +/- 3 dB Sensitivity 88 dB with 2.83 V pink noise input, measured at 1 meter on axis Frame Dimensions 8-1/4" x 14-1/2" (21.0 cm x 36.8 cm) Hole Cut-Out Dimensions 7-1/8" x 13-1/4" (18.1 cm x 33.7 cm) Depth Behind Wall 3-1/2" (based on 1/2" drywall) (8.
NOTES 24
NOTES NILES AUDIO CORPORATION – 1-800-BUY-HIFI – 305-238-4373 25
BLENDING HIGH FIDELITY AND ARCHITECTURE® Niles Audio Corporation 1 2 3 3 1 S . W. 1 3 0 S t r e e t M i a m i , F l o r i d a 3 3 1 8 6 Designed and Engineered in USA 1 - 8 0 0 - B U Y- H I F I o r 3 0 5 - 2 3 8 - 4 3 7 3 ©2008 Niles Audio Corpora ti o n . A l l r i g h ts r e s e r ve d . N i l e s, th e N i l e s l o g o s a n d A r ch i te ctu r e a r e registered trademarks o f N i l e s A u d i o C o r p o r a ti o n . M i cr o P e r f a n d T C C a r e tr a d e ma r k s o f Niles Audio Corporation.
